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<pre>Howdy Sally,

I do some experimental archaeology as well, so you're not alone on
the list.

I have a question about the short shelf life: since the Omphacion was
prefered for perfumes, does the short shelf life refer to the oil (before
it is mixed for perfume) or to the finished product? Could the short
shelf life be a reference to the perfume - that the perfume has a short
shelf life and doesn't smell as good or loses its smell after a year?

As Brian Chatterton mentioned, Cato refers to the watery amurca
(processing waste water) being used to keep down insects. Cato also
mentions rubbing amurca on sheep and animals to prevent insects and pests.

It might be difficult to tell what ancient writers mean by "ungreasy."
Can you run absorbtion skin tests of different oils (100% olive oil, 50%
olive oil-water, 100% amurca, etc.) to see which one aborbs quickest?

Good luck.

Peter Warnock

--
Peter Warnock
Dept. of Anthropology
Swallow Hall
University of Missouri
Columbia, MO 65211
(573) 443-4203
(573) 884-5450 (fax)
pjwd29@mizzou.edu
</pre>
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