Ambergris and Early Modern Languages of Scent

Read, Sophie

doi:10.1080/0268117x.2013.792158

Cited by 5 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…The origin of ambergris remained mysterious for centuries and was subject to many speculations and theories. − Some associated ambergris to rare and odorous earth due to its veined structure. Some claimed a vegetable origin, postulating that it was a mushroom growing at the bottom of the sea.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…While being bleached, other degradative processes occur which break down ambrein into a mixture of products, a number of which are responsible for the subtle and delicate odor that develops (Scheme ). ,− The smell of ambergris is described as well balanced with soft musky, animalic, marine, sweet, earthy, and woody facets. The privileged experience of smelling an authentic ambergris alcoholic tincture conjures up images of drifting on an old wooden raft floating on an open sea, being caressed by a salty breeze.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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From Ambergris to (−)-Ambrox: Chemistry Meets Biocatalysis for Sustainable (−)-Ambrox Production

Eichhorn

Schroeder

2023

J. Agric. Food Chem.

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Metrics & MoreArticle Recommendations ABSTRACT: (−)-Ambrox, the most prominent olfactive component of ambergris is one of the most widely used biodegradable fragrance ingredients. Traditionally it is produced from the diterpene sclareol, modified and cyclized into (−)-ambrox by classical chemistry steps. The availability of the new feedstock (E)-β-farnesene produced by fermentation opened new pathways to (E,E)homofarnesol as a precursor to (−)-ambrox. Combining chemical transformation of (E)-β-farnesene to (E,E)-homofarnesol and its enzymatic cyclization at the industrial scale to (−)-ambrox with an engineered squalene hopene cyclase illustrates the potential of biotechnology for a more sustainable process, thus meeting the increasing consumers' demand for sustainably produced high quality perfumery and consumer goods. This review traces back to the origin of ambergris and the search for the source of its mysterious odor, leading to the discovery of (−)-ambrox as its main olfactive principle. It discusses the plethora of ways explored for its synthesis from diverse starting materials and presents the development of a process with significantly improved carbon efficiency for the industrial production of (−)-ambrox as 100% renewable Ambrofix.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

From Ambergris to (−)-Ambrox: Chemistry Meets Biocatalysis for Sustainable (−)-Ambrox Production

Eichhorn

Schroeder

2023

J. Agric. Food Chem.

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“…Hence, recent studies of literature and science in the long 18th century frequently have begun their narrative with Robert Boyle, and engaged with Shapin and Schaffer, sometimes offering a defence or rehabilitation of Boyle in line with the English-studies turn away from ideologically suspicious readings. A common approach is to focus on his non-air writings, and a common thread is that Boyle and other early modern scientists were consciously and unconsciously indebted to the literary practices of their time, with the follow-on point that figuration was key to empiricism (see e.g., Chico, 2018;Preston, 2015;Read, 2013;Smith, 2015). A different direction, but also a rehabilitative one, has been pursued by two works on the radical political and ontological implications of Boyle's corpuscular philosophy (Schmidgen, 2013;Thompson, 2017).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Air and atmosphere studies: Enlightenment, phenomenology and ecocriticism

Boyson

2022

Literature Compass

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This essay examines the treatment of air and atmosphere in literary scholarship of the late 17th-to mid-19th-century periods, from the first, early Enlightenment discovery of the air's chemical structure and the coining of the word 'atmosphere', to the dawning of Victorian industrial pollution. As climate has become the predominant focus of environmental campaigning, and as air pollution and air infection have become near-universal concerns, the air itself has gained a corresponding increase in academic attention. Part I of my essay begins by sketching out the longer history of this interest, showing that air and atmosphere are complex words that have longstanding philosophical and literary histories alongside their everyday 'real' meanings. I explore the place of air studies in the History of Science, and look at how this discipline and English studies have enjoyed a close proximity with regards to the major chemical discoveries of the Enlightenment period. Part II defines the field of 'atmosphere studies' as it has emerged from 20th-century philosophy, and its importance to contemporary geography, anthropology and architecture. The complexity of the idea of 'atmosphere' is, however, rooted in early 19th-century aesthetics, and hence, I argue, literary scholarship of this period makes a crucial contribution to this broader atmospheric enquiry. Part III explores how literary critics and

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“…However, in the 19th century, in the middle of the scientific revolution taking place at that time (Darwin, Pasteur etc.) speculation on the origin and formation of ambergris was reaching its peak (Clarke, 2006; Read, 2013). Later, in the middle 20th century, ambergris was referred to as ‘ a very valuable product extracted from the sperm whale, was referred to as a consequence of a disease that originated in the large intestine and was expelled once in a while in the animal's stool ’ (Cruz, 1945).…”

Section: Introduction: Ambergris a Product Of Sperm Whalesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition, it was commonly used as perfume and scent fixer. It was really very valuable, since ancient times in the Mediterranean world, and through the 16th and 17th centuries in Europe (Read, 2013) up to the 20th century, all around the world (both in industrial cultures as well as in indigenous ones). Present day medical uses of ambergris are documented and, for instance, in the Levant, it is used as a potency reinforcement and kidney disease treatment most probably due to its diuretic and laxative properties (Lev, 2003).…”

Section: Introduction: Ambergris a Product Of Sperm Whalesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ambergris as an overlooked historical marine resource: its biology and role as a global economic commodity

2015

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Ambergris is a rare substance produced in the intestines of sperm whales. It appears to result from an irritation caused by the beaks of the cephalopods on which they feed. The link between ambergris and whales, if not the mechanism by which ambergris is produced, has been addressed throughout history but, due to contradictory reports and fanciful explanations regarding its origin, only recently has it been widely accepted. Since ancient times ambergris has been used for medicinal purposes and in perfumes, but its supposed exotic properties are an important reason for the European demand for this substance. Accounts about ambergris from places where Europeans sailed since the 15th century are numerous. In the 16th and 17th centuries there were no laws dictating who owned the ambergris found on beaches and many pieces were sold or traded, legally or illegally, from overseas to Europe. However, this product was always obtained in relatively small quantities. More recently, with the advent of industrial whaling dedicated to sperm whaling conducted by several nations in various parts of the world during the 19th and 20th centuries, ambergris acquired an importance of its own and was sold at very high prices. In the Azores, ambergris from hunted sperm whales was documented; the same applies for Madeira and the Portuguese mainland. Being a product typically reported in whaling data and related to the economic exploitation of the sea, it is through the historical sources that its importance is clearly demonstrated.

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Ambergris and Early Modern Languages of Scent

Cited by 5 publications

References 14 publications

From Ambergris to (−)-Ambrox: Chemistry Meets Biocatalysis for Sustainable (−)-Ambrox Production

From Ambergris to (−)-Ambrox: Chemistry Meets Biocatalysis for Sustainable (−)-Ambrox Production

Air and atmosphere studies: Enlightenment, phenomenology and ecocriticism

Ambergris as an overlooked historical marine resource: its biology and role as a global economic commodity

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