Fragrant Incantations: Aromatics in Mesopotamian Ritual and Magic

This class is a module in the course

The Scent of Gods & Monsters: Olfaction & Belief

This ticket is to audit this lecture only. Join the course here.

In ancient Mesopotamia, scent was a vital medium for connecting with the cosmic and mercurial forces that shaped people's lives. The fragrant dimensions of ancient civilisations reveal how ancient people conceptualised the unknowable through aroma.

Join perfumer and historian Nuri McBride for this immersive two-hour lecture, where you'll gain fresh perspectives on Mesopotamian olfactive culture, botanical knowledge, and the profound role aromatics played in religion, healing, myth, and magic.

Together, we will examine how fragrance functioned as a sacred technology, mediating between humans and gods, warding off malevolent forces, and structuring ritual life. We will particularly focus on the aromatic practices of cult-focused priests like the Pašišû (anointing priest), Bārû (diviner priest) and pastoral priests like the Ašipu (medical exorcist).