The Mediterranean island of Cyprus has been inhabited for over 10,000 years now. The remains of the perfumery dating back to the Bronze Age were discovered in 2003. Archaeologists found a 43,000 sq. ft perfume-making factory. It is likely that perfumes were manufactured here at an industrial scale.
This finding is well in line with Cyprus's mythological status as the birth-place of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love. Her myth is closely linked with the perfume she used to get what she wanted.
The perfume recipe indicated that the Cypriots used extracts of lavender, bay, rosemary, pine or coriander to make their perfumes. If you want to get a whiff of what these would have smelled like, you're in luck. Four of these perfumes have now been recreated. An Italian foundation which aims to recreate antique tradition distills these perfumes.
The finds from the excavation are on display at the Capitoline Museum in Rome.