Perfume has accented the history and culture of the Arab world for centuries. The art of making perfumes began in ancient Mesopotamia, an area that today encompasses modern Iraq, Kuwait and the eastern parts of Syria. The world’s first-recorded chemist is widely considered to be an ancient Mesopotamian woman named Tapputi, a perfume maker mentioned on a cuneiform tablet nearly 4000 years old.
As trade routes developed throughout the Middle East, perfume chemists would source exotic scents like amber, musk, and jasmine from India, Asia and around the Arab region. In fact, when the Egyptian emperor Tutankhamen’s tomb was opened 3,300 years after his death, archaeologists report that they were greeted by the faint scent of an ancient perfume.
In the 9th century, the Arab chemist Al-Kindi penned the Book of Chemistry of Perfume and Distillations, a document that contained more than one hundred recipes for creating fragrances using oils, salves, and aromatic waters that would go on to be the basis for modern perfume chemistry. The Persian chemist Ibn Sina then perfected the art, introducing the process of extracting oils from flowers that is still used today.
Perfume in the Arab world has long been used as a symbol of reverence, a form of art, and an expression of natural beauty. In the 13th century, the Sufi Arab mystic, Ibn Arabi, famously wrote, “Of all the worldly goods, three things are dearest to my heart: perfume, women, and prayer.”
The Karamat Collection brings the ancient history of Oriental perfumery to the modern world. Our team of world-class chemists use quality ingredients sourced from the very same locations that ancient perfume artists curated the first fragrances. We use quality ingredients throughout the process, from the aromas themselves, to the very oils and tinctures that hold our fine fragrances.
Our dedicated Oud collection is a perfect example of our dedication to quality ingredients that champion the ancient Arab art of perfumery. The collection begins with a light and spicy base of Oud, featured in the traditional Royal and Sultan Oud fragrances.
The collection then builds on the scent of ancient Oud, highlighting ingredients such as rose, amber, and musk to create a collection that is both familiar and unique. With ten formulations in the 100ml Oud Collection, there is something for everyone, whether you are a traditionalist, or want to experiment with modern twists.
The spirit and history of Oriental perfume making is alive in every fragrance we craft for the Karamat Collection. For those seeking the scents that have been enjoyed throughout the Arab world since the beginning of civilization, our 100ml Oud Collection offers a timeless experience.
