A full “blood" moon rises behind statues of Apollo and Hera in central Athens. (Aris Messinis/AFP/Getty Images)
The ancient Greeks and Romans often doused their statues in perfume, a recent study found.
Published in the Oxford Journal of Archaeology, the study adds to evidence that statues were more than slabs of white marble to those living in ancient times.
The study’s Danish author, classical archaeologist Cecilie Brons, analyzed ancient texts and artwork, collecting evidence that in ancient Greece and Rome, it was common to anoint a sculpture with perfumes and oils.