The fragrance of the female pharaoh perfume

Queen Hatshepsut can rule the country like any male pharaoh but as a woman, she has a characteristic hobby: perfume.

The modern world also felt a bit of ancient royal scent when scientists perfected their research on the perfume that Queen Hatshepsut owned - she was the one who ruled ancient Egypt in within 20 years since 1479 BC.

Analyzing the metal jar that the famous queen used, the team from the Bonn University of Egypt Museum in Germany recently discovered residues from Queen Hatshepsut's perfume. The next step will be an attempt to reconstruct the scent, it seems that this fragrance is made from expensive incense imported from Somalia today.

Although the ancient Egyptian rulers' coffins are found in museums around the world, if successful, this will be the first time researchers have created the pharaoh's perfume.

Hatshepsut became one of the rare female Egyptian pharaohs when her half-brother and husband, Pharaoh Thutmose II, died without a son. She became co-regent until her husband's son with another matron was Thutmose III matured, but she ruled the throne very effectively and was recognized as a pharaoh by the royal council and religious officials. until she died in 1457 BC.

Despite being a woman, Hatshepsut's two decades of making pharaohs are considered a particularly prosperous period. According to historians, she ruled the country like a man. She also experienced at least one military campaign but still maintained peace for most Egyptians, and also made some impressive construction projects.

Perhaps Hatshepsut is best known for the fact that the establishment of southern trade routes that was interrupted by war, contributed to her empire to prosper. According to ancient documents, she also sent a group of people to ancient Punt land - now called the horn of Africa - returning to boats filled with aromatic, incense and notably trees The incense was then superimposed near her grave (the grave is usually built just before the pharaoh died).

A metal jar of Hatshepsut - the queen of power ruled Egypt for 20 years since 1479 BC. (Photo: Agyptisches Museum Bonn)

Michael Höveler-Müller - curator of the Museum of Egypt, University of Bonn - said: 'The incense is particularly valuable in ancient Egypt, used only in temples and for living saints (wallet as king kings. '

Researchers believe that they discovered this type of incense in a gold-carved jar with the name of the woman engraved on it. Using X-ray techniques, the residue of the liquid has been shown on the bottom. Pharmacists will analyze the residue and divide it into components in hopes of re-creating the scent at 3500 times after Hatshepsut last used it.

Höveler-Müller said: 'I went to look for the scent of perfume because it was a valuable clue. The shape of the bottle also shows that it is a famous perfume bottle, originally capped '.

The use of perfume is very popular among upper-class women of ancient Egyptian society but they also do not use rare incense.

Höveler-Müller said: 'Ancient Egyptian perfume is an oil form, the product is only for the upper class. The Egyptians used local aromatic flowers, fruits and wood to create perfume. They put the ingredients in odorless oil until the oil smells. '

Hatshepsut's interest in incense incense is related to her desire to control power - a fragile thing for some of the female pharaohs in Egyptian history. A lot of paintings and statues and shows that she dressed like a man in royal attire and some even described her as bearded. Experts in Egyptian studies said that bringing such a luxury product made him dedicated to serving gods and kings, a way to strengthen her status as a ruler. supreme rule of Egypt.

Egyptian researchers have also discovered Queen Hatshepsut's mummy in 2007 thanks to X-ray and DNA techniques, making her the first ancient Egyptian royal character to be identified since sued King Tutankhamen (Tut) in 1922.