For centuries, the white marble statues of ancient Greece and Rome have symbolized classical beauty and artistic perfection. However, recent research reveals that these sculptures were far from the monochrome figures we see today. In their original form, they were vibrantly painted, adorned with jewelry, and even infused with fragrance, transforming them into lifelike representations of gods, rulers, and mythical beings.
Bringing Statues to Life with Fragrance
Ancient texts, temple inscriptions, and archaeological discoveries suggest that perfume played a vital role in animating these sculptures. According to archaeologist Cecilie Brøns, curator at the Glyptotek Museum in Copenhagen, these statues were never intended to appear as mere stone figures. Instead, they were designed to resemble living beings, imbued with color, scent, and symbolic adornments.
“A white marble statue was not meant to be seen as just stone. It was supposed to resemble a real god or goddess,” Brøns explains.
This multisensory approach was deeply embedded in religious and cultural traditions. Cicero, Callimachus, and other ancient writers describe how statues were regularly anointed with fragrant oils. In Sicily, for instance, a statue of Artemis was ritually treated with perfumed oils, while inscriptions from the Greek island of Delos mention statues of Artemis and Hera being maintained with rose-scented perfumes.
More Than Decoration: The Purpose of Perfumed Statues
The use of scented oils and balms wasn’t just aesthetic—it had practical and spiritual significance:
Preservation: Mixtures of beeswax, olive oil, and natron helped protect and maintain painted statues. Even the legendary Statue of Zeus at Olympia, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, was regularly coated in olive oil to prevent its ivory surface from drying out.
Religious Rituals: Fragrant statues enhanced worship experiences, as scents like roses, myrrh, and honey were believed to attract the presence of the gods.
Psychological Influence: The perfumes surrounding statues created an immersive atmosphere, reinforcing the divine connection for worshippers.
Ancient Statues: A Fully Sensory Experience
The statues we see today in museums are stripped of the rich colors, jewelry, and scents that once made them appear almost lifelike. In antiquity, these figures were:
Painted in bright hues
Draped in luxurious fabrics
Adorned with gold, gemstones, and wreaths
Surrounded by flowers and incense
Perfumed with rich oils
Even statues preserved by natural disasters hint at this lost artistry. A statue from Pompeii, thought to depict a wounded Amazon warrior, still retains traces of painted hair and eyes, thanks to the volcanic ash that buried the town in 79 AD.
Could Museums Restore These Forgotten Sensory Elements?
Statue from Pompeii thought to represent a wounded Amazon warrior, complete with painted hair and eyes preserved by the ash that buried the town. The eruption took place in AD 79.
Archaeologists have found beeswax residues on statues such as that of Queen Berenice II of Egypt, whom poet Callimachus described as “moist with perfume.” Ancient perfume workshops, like those discovered on Delos, used ingredients like rose petals, beeswax, and olive oil to craft lasting fragrances.
This raises an intriguing question: should museums revive the scents of antiquity? By reconstructing ancient perfumes and pairing them with painted replicas, modern exhibitions could offer visitors a more immersive glimpse into the sensory world of ancient Greece and Rome.
Though time has faded their colors and scents, research continues to uncover the true splendor of these statues, reminding us that ancient artistry was never just about sight—it was a multisensory experience that brought the divine to life.
