In Greek Mythology Iris is the ‘rainbow’ and also a messenger of the gods. She’s usually shown with wings, carrying a herald’s staff and a vase. She has a special relationship with both sea and sky. Her father was a sea god and her mother a cloud-nymph. In some sources she marries Zephyros, the West Wind, and gives birth to Eros. As the rainbow, she bridged heaven and earth. Her duties as a water carrier encompassed both realms, and included elements of physical and ritual cleansing. She replenished the clouds after heavy rainfalls, and she purified the gods when they returned to Olympus. According to Ovid, after a visit to the Underworld, Juno returned to her heavenly home where Iris ‘purged her with sprinkled drops of cleansing rain.’[i] Today the roots continue to be used in perfume, often being dried for five years before being used. It takes one ton of iris/orris root to produce two kilos of the essential oil. The Perfume Society calls orris root ‘ahugely precious ingredient, this – with a heart-stopping price-tag.’ It gives a list of perfumes including Yves san Laurent’s Paris, Chanel’s Exclusif 28, Prada’s Infusion d’Iris, Vivienne Westwood’s Boudoir and Tom Ford’s Violet Blonde.(7) It’s rumoured to be an ingredient in Chanel No 5.
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AuthorHazel Riley is an author, teacher and shamanic practitioner living in London. Archives
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