Smell and the Ancient Senses

Nonfiction, History, Ancient History
Cover of the book Smell and the Ancient Senses by , Taylor and Francis
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: ISBN: 9781317565819
Publisher: Taylor and Francis Publication: December 17, 2014
Imprint: Routledge Language: English
Author:
ISBN: 9781317565819
Publisher: Taylor and Francis
Publication: December 17, 2014
Imprint: Routledge
Language: English

From flowers and perfumes to urban sanitation and personal hygiene, smell—a sense that is simultaneously sublime and animalistic—has played a pivotal role in western culture and thought. Greek and Roman writers and thinkers lost no opportunity to connect the smells that bombarded their senses to the social, political and cultural status of the individuals and environments that they encountered: godly incense and burning sacrifices, seductive scents, aromatic cuisines, stinking bodies, pungent farmyards and festering back-streets.

The cultural study of smell has largely focused on pollution, transgression and propriety, but the olfactory sense came into play in a wide range of domains and activities: ancient medicine and philosophy, religion, botany and natural history, erotic literature, urban planning, dining, satire and comedy—where odours, aromas, scents and stenches were rich and versatile components of the ancient sensorium. The first comprehensive introduction to the role of smell in the history, literature and society of classical antiquity, Smell and the Ancient Senses explores and probes the ways that the olfactory sense can contribute to our perceptions of ancient life, behaviour, identity and morality.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

From flowers and perfumes to urban sanitation and personal hygiene, smell—a sense that is simultaneously sublime and animalistic—has played a pivotal role in western culture and thought. Greek and Roman writers and thinkers lost no opportunity to connect the smells that bombarded their senses to the social, political and cultural status of the individuals and environments that they encountered: godly incense and burning sacrifices, seductive scents, aromatic cuisines, stinking bodies, pungent farmyards and festering back-streets.

The cultural study of smell has largely focused on pollution, transgression and propriety, but the olfactory sense came into play in a wide range of domains and activities: ancient medicine and philosophy, religion, botany and natural history, erotic literature, urban planning, dining, satire and comedy—where odours, aromas, scents and stenches were rich and versatile components of the ancient sensorium. The first comprehensive introduction to the role of smell in the history, literature and society of classical antiquity, Smell and the Ancient Senses explores and probes the ways that the olfactory sense can contribute to our perceptions of ancient life, behaviour, identity and morality.

More books from Taylor and Francis

Cover of the book Programming.Architecture by
Cover of the book Navigating Contemporary Iran by
Cover of the book Literature of Travel and Exploration by
Cover of the book The Anatomy of the Novel (Routledge Revivals) by
Cover of the book Queerness in Pop Music by
Cover of the book Governing Higher Education Today by
Cover of the book The Sexual Murderer by
Cover of the book Standards-Based Learning for Students with Disabilities by
Cover of the book Coalition Politics and Hindu Nationalism by
Cover of the book Assessing Middle and High School Social Studies & English by
Cover of the book Company Directors' Responsibilities to Creditors by
Cover of the book The Nature of the Japanese State by
Cover of the book Literacy in Action: Football by
Cover of the book Patent and Trademark Information by
Cover of the book Jihad in Palestine by
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy