Odors, they show, inform power relations between the sexes, between classes and ethnic groups-the sultry femme fatale, the sweaty working class, the body odor of the foreigner are cultural stereotypes made strikingly real. Along the way, the authors open our senses to the powerful cultural meaings of smells. A journey of discovery that takes place in the perfume potions of the Pacific as well as Andean aromatherapies, Aroma maps the smellscapes of different cultures and explores the roles that odors have played throughout history. Yet what is experienced as fragrant varies dramatically from one culture to the other and from one epoch to the next.Īroma uncovers the secret history of smells: from the perfumed banquets of ancient Greece to the best blueberry flavor ever made, from the sweet odor of sanctity to the latest in designer fragrances. Roses, musk, incense and myrrh-smells have always been associated with magic, healing and sexual power.
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