Taking you to the wonderful world of Incense. incense trivia The word perfume comes from Old provincial French perfumar, per through and fumar to smoke, which explains the art of perfumery believed to have begun in the Middle East with the burning of incense. The use of incense dates back to biblical times and may have originated in Egypt when aromatic trees were imported from Arabia to be used in religious ceremonies. More people in the United States and all over the world are using incense as a home or personal fragrance to create a feeling of tranquility and well-being and an extra dimension in gracious living that opens up a whole new world of spiritual awareness and understanding. So all important is the sense of smell that unlike other nerve cells in the brain, eyes and spinal cord, which if damaged are lost forever, the olfactory neurons constantly replace themselves. One way to make your home more inviting, interior decorators point out, is to create an atmosphere with relaxing music, a fire in the fireplace and a soft fragrance in the air. That Israeli archaeologists discovered a 2,000-year old fragrant oil in a cave near the Dead Sea that they believe may have been used to anoint kings. That Cleopatra used pillows filled with rose petals to induce sleep. Aromatherapy, has been practiced since ancient times as a panacea in the treatment of severe diseases, infections and indispositions. That a peppermint fragrance tends to reduce stress and sleepiness. That some unpleasant odors have been used to suppress the appetite of those who are overweight. That humans, like other animals, will attract or repel each other depending on their scents and body odors. Quotable Quotes: A woman who wears no perfume has no future. Paul Valery. Memories, old sentiments and associations are more readily reached through the sense of smell than through any other channel. Oliver Wendell Holmes. As other spirits are borne away on music, mine my beloved, floats on our perfume. Baudelaire.