Notable Women in History [Chapter 3]

Many notable women’s names have been lost in time and all that remains of them are depictions of their likenesses in stone carvings. ## One of those women whose work and name were lost is Babylonian chemist, Tapputi-Belatekallim.

Tapputi-Belatekallim (Babylon, Mesopotamia, circa 1200 BC) ^{Chemist, Perfume-maker}

Taputti is considered by many as the first (recorded) female chemist in the history of humanity. “Belatekallim” means “female palace overseer”, indicating Tapputi held a position of importance at the Mesopotamian court.

A Mesopotamian cuneiform tablet from around 1200 B.C. describes Tapputi, a perfumer and palace overseer who distilled the essences of flowers and other aromatic materials, filtered them, added water and returned them to the still several times until she got just what she wanted.

The testimony carved on this clay tablet describes Tapputi and Ninu as perfume-makers from Babylonian Mesopotamia, and it’s the first known reference to the process of distillation and the first recorded still.
Her chemical experiments derived in recipes such as fragances and perfumes that were not just used for beauty or cosmetic purposes, they were fragranced substances that were required for medicinal purposes and religious rituals alike. In ancient Mesopotamia, a cradle of civilisation, perfume was a considered a religious offering and often used to anoint icons in sanctuaries atop the ziggurats (Mesopotamian version of pyramids).

Tapputi also worked with flowers, oil, calamus, cyperus, myrrh, and balsam to make a variety of perfumes, as well as tinctures, scent extraction, and cold enfleurage.

But perfume making is not as easy as it sounds, it’s not just about mixing scents and coming up with a recipe that smells nice...

^{Just ask this guy... he would know}

...It requires an understanding of technical processes such as extraction and sublimation that allow the chemical procedures like distillation and filtering to be possible. Tapputi wielded these skills well over a millennia ago. It is possible that she also developed basic equipment that allowed her to create her perfumes and fragrances, such equipment could have been adapted or modified from everyday utensils and cookware.

Tapputi is spoken of as being an authority in her field as the official overseer of perfumery in the royal palace, in fact, one of her recipes survives to the date: a fragrant salve for the Babylonian king containing water, oil, flower and calamus, which may either refer to lemongrass or a reedlike plant that is still used in perfumes today.

Fun story: I first heard of Tapputi years ago when I found this animated series/comic called SUPER SCIENCE FRIENDS

Super Science Friends is an animated series about a team of super-powered scientists (Freud, Einstein, Tesla, Darwin, Curie & Tapputi) who travel through time fighting nazis, renegade soviet cosmonauts and their own scientific rivals!

^{Here's a fanart of Tapputi as she is portrayed on SSF. If you'd like to watch the series, go to the link above!}

Do you think we should be learning more about Tapputi in school? Because I do.

^{Consulted sources:} ^{Girlmuseum on Tapputi} ^{[Sciencenotes.org][https://sciencenotes.org/who-was-the-first-chemist/)} ^{Forgotten women in Science by cosmomagazine.com} ^{The First Chemist: A breath of 3000 year old air}

^{Image sources:} ^{Picture of Tapputi} ^{Jean-Baptiste Grenouille} ^{Primitive perfume-making equipment} ^Fanart

^{Other link of interest:} ^{Super Science Friends}

Thanks for reading.

Notable Women in History [Chapter 3]

But perfume making is not as easy as it sounds, it’s not just about mixing scents and coming up with a recipe that smells nice...

Alicia xx