kyphi workshop

kAp.t in Egyptian or kyphi in Greek is a solid ancient Egyptian perfume. It is one of the first documented perfume recipes in the world, and one of the few surviving perfume recipes from ancient. Egypt. Kyphi is unique in ancient Egyptian perfumery because it is the only perfume that is documented both in the temples and in everyday life, thus allowing for a comparison of its sacred and mundane use. In the temples, the kyphi perfume mixture was censed daily in the worship of the gods to clean and perfume the air. As the temple was regarded as a pure and immaculate divine cosmos, kyphi played an essential role in reflecting the perfect olfactory world of the gods. The exudation of kyphi in private homes served to purify and scent the air, clean and perfume clothing, and it was even used as a chewing gum. As an olfactory adornment, kyphi served to enhance one’s appearance and to make them more attractive.
 
We will start the workshop by discussing all ancient Egyptian sources mentioning kyphi. We will investigate how the use and cultural significance of kyphi changed throughout Egyptian history from the Old Kingdom until the Ptolemaic period. Then we will look at all the ingredients of the recipe in detail and discuss their botanical identifications. After we have familiarized ourselves with each ingredient, we will read the recipe to analyze each step of the perfume-making process. After we have understood all the steps of the recipe, Dora will teach you ways of recreating this ancient perfume by yourself.
 
KYPHI KIT
You can pre-order Dora’s Kyphi Kit that she designed for the workshop to be able follow it with scents. It will also be possible to order the kit after the class. Please note that getting the kit is not a necessary requirement for participation, but it is recommended, as it is a great learning tool. In Dora’s experience, “learning by doing” or in other words, the making part is very educational. You go through the same process as the ancient Egyptians and will be able to understand the ancient recipe better. The Kyphi Kit contains all the ingredients to make kyphi based on the most up-to-date botanical identifications in Egyptology, a translation of the recipe and instructions. The kit comes with Dora’s reconstruction of kyphi to guide your work. A unique feature of the kit is that the ingredients are obtained from authentic regions, the same regions the Egyptians sourced their kyphi ingredients from in antiquity.

Price: 150€ + shipping
 
If you want to order to kit, please contact Dora directly via e-mail: doragold@zedat.fu-berlin.de