BY THE ALIMOCHE TEAM
7 MARCH 2023
Carefully cached amongst camphor and frankincense in our olfactory histories, Kyphi is humanity’s tenacious link to perfumiers past. The various recipes of this sixteen-ingredient scent are considered some of the earliest recorded perfumes in the world; transcending time and mythos to persist in a resurging curiosity between Egyptologists and fragranciers alike. Kyphi provides us with an insight into Ancient Egyptian society through the art of perfume; through unveiling social attitudes between rich and poor, pharaoh and slave, undying and dead, by producing a sensory microcosm contrasting the natural ebullience of the botanicals involved and the stillness of sand-kissed sarcophagi bearing remnant notes of blazing heat and social unrest.
Kyphi was not merely a perfume in Ancient Egypt; it was a core part of the deeply pious lifestyle connecting men to gods through the Pharaohs.
Historically, Kyphi is a ritual incense favoured by priests in religious rituals, such as the purification and subsequent perfuming and anointing of temples. A key proponent of the mercantile wealth of Egypt, the Kyphi trade fostered important relations between Egypt and Nubia, to the extent where the Egyptian incense trade became of Pharaonic interest, notably under the reign of Hatshepsut. Whilst the recipe of Kyphi vaguely changed with the passing of each Pharaoh, Hatshepsut’s Kyphi is a testament to the state of Egyptian political, socioeconomic and botanical trends in the 15th Century, B.C. Hatshepsut’s Kyphi recipe reflects her life, firstly as a Pharaoh, but secondly, and arguably more importantly, as a woman in a male-dominated society. As Egypt’s second female Pharaoh, it is evident Hatshepsut’s goal was to forge a historically-intact legacy, which, through the aid of her Kyphi recipe, has indeed persisted through time, despite constant efforts by her successor Thutmose III, to erase her existence from memory. Through meticulously crafting her unique Kyphi, including ingredients considered divine, comprising essential incense offerings representing all times of the day, by adding frankincense, traditionally associated with the morning temple offering, and myrrh, the traditional midday daily offering. By including both within her Kyphi, one could argue Hatshepsut was sending a scented message to her subjects, showcasing the omnipresence of the gods through the Pharaoh at all times of the day.
Hatshepsut’s identity as a woman is further reflected in her Kyphi through her association with the goddess Hathor. Whilst most male Pharaohs associated themselves with traditionally masculine gods, including Ra, Sobek and Horus, Hatshepsut’s likening to Hathor is the predecessor of Cleopatra’s likening to Isis; whilst the male Pharaoh’s priority is to be perceived as the ideal warrior-king, the female Pharaoh’s priority is to utilise her divine mothering instinct. By associating herself with Hathor, evident in the placing of her Temple in Luxor, boasting the grandiose Chapel of Hathor, Hatshepsut is placing herself as Pharaoh as the Mother of the Realm; a protective mother and guardian of Egypt. The masculine balance is present too, through her funerary temple also sporting effigies of Osiris, Horus and Anubis, however it is this unique linkage to Hathor which sets Hatshepsut apart, not only as a ruler, but as a woman happening to rule. The Kyphi commissioned by Hatshepsut furthers this femininity in Hatshepsut’s reign through using henna, crushed beetle shells, mastic and myrrh, where again the scent of myrrh is an association with the goddess. Mastic is further referred to as a favourite incense of the gods, emphasising its religious connotations from Hatshepsut. Furthermore, the potential presence of fenugreek oil cements Hatshepsut’s femininity; as a traditional herb for lactating mothers, and associated with the menstrual cycle and womanhood itself, alongside healing wounds and a natural pain relief, Hatshepsut’s womanhood is celebrated in the fabrication of her bespoke Kyphi, with its heady smoke circling temples and enchanting senses.
One of the most intact Kyphi recipes, Hatshepsut's Kyphi combines intoxicating notes of femininity, divine power and militial strength. Despite constant efforts to erase the legacy of this female Pharaoh, her signature scent persists and endures, preserving her legacy.
Image Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Furthermore, as a woman ruler, myrrh in Hatshepsut’s Kyphi further carries deep political connotations. As the only ruler to successfully invade Punt, roughly located in Northern Africa, Hatshepsut’s triumph of conquering the “myrrh-terraces” is celebrated through its exuberant unbridled usage in the Pharaoh’s Kyphi. The myrrh in this Kyphi sends a message of Egyptian political strength, not only to boost the morale of Hatshepsut’s domestic subjects, but also through trade. As Kyphi was a coveted scent in other parts of the ancient world, the reminder of Egyptian power through conquering Punt is further conveyed through the myrrh bringing an olfactory association with Egypt, carrying the scent of Hatshepsut’s military power, often disputed due to her sex as only the second female Pharaoh in such a patriarchal world.
Kyphi is therefore a sensory weapon, as well as a ritual incense and a symbol of femininity for Egypt’s second female pharaoh. A signature scent of dynastic power, this bespoke botanical blend is an outstretched hand to days of old; from Hatshepsut to Cleopatra. It is a divine essence of life and death; life through death and the fermentation process, and death through the life of a crumbled yet historically enduring empire. Kyphi lingers in our olfactory memory as a symbol of dynastic eternity, and perhaps a yearning for an injection of mythos in the repetitive nature of the 21st Century.
Hathor, as depicted in Hatshepsut's funerary temple, proved sacred to the Pharaoh and her subjects. A powerful ruler and a doting mother, Hatshepsut's Kyphi was more than a perfume; it was propaganda incarnate.
Image Source: Pinterest
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