Kyphi (Ancient Egyptian Incense)
Considered the first perfume created by mankind, kyphi is an ancient incense, medicine and perfume made from sixteen distinctive aromatics combined together in an elaborate process that produces a rich, luxurious and thick smoke. It was burnt in Egyptian temples in the evenings, as a preparation for the dreamwork, and when was also ingested as medicine administered by the priests. It also had more mundane use in homes as a personal fragrance, and to burn in the evening to banish the worries of the day before going to sleep.
Ayala Moriel kyphi offerings range from traditional kyphi to modern interoperation using local botanicals or aromatics from other traditions, using the same technique, and each material is hand-pounded in a stone mortar and pestle. The results are singular, as no two kyphi batches are ever identical even when the exact same recipe is used and carefully followed. Each kyphi represents a moment of inspiration in time, when it was prepared with much love and attention to each plant and each step in the process.
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Ayala Moriel Parfums
Kyphi Galilee
$49.00
Visit product page →Kyphi Galilee is a contemporary interpretation of Ancient Egyptian Kyphi recipes, using local ingredients. In addition to the traditional resins that make Kyphi such a soothing balm for the soul, vibrant vegetation and unusual botanicals were used: wild herbs such as myrtle and bay leaves, water mint, sage blossoms, fig leaves and fig wood, vitex berries and many more. The result is a very lively green yet soothingly sweet kyphi that has the life-giving energy of a river lush with vegetation.
The majority of the ingredients were organically grown in my own garden, or wild-crafted. Each raw material was ground separately, then they are all compounded together in a mixture of myrtle and arbutus berries (which were used in lieu of the traditional raisins) soaked in local wine and wild honey. This not only binds together the ingredients but also creates an alchemical process that truly transforms the aroma of the incense and creates a heavenly smoke when burnt on a charcoal. It can also be used by placing on an aromatherapy diffuser (place on a piece of aluminum foil to prevent it from sticking to your diffuser).
