Armenian paper is a type of incense that has been produced for centuries. The paper is infused with essences, fragrances or essential oils in order to achieve a perfuming or cleansing effect. Examples of Armenian paper include Papier d'Arménie, which is produced in France, and Carta Aromatica d'Eritrea, which is produced in Italy. The scents from the French production is "Tradition", "Arménie" and "Rose".

History

At the end of the 19th century, Auguste Ponsot discovered that Armenian households would burn ''

Styrax ''Styrax'' (common names storax or snowbell) is a genus of about 130 species of large shrubs or small trees in the family Styracaceae, mostly native to warm temperate to tropical regions of the Northern Hemisphere, with the majority in eastern ...

'' as a fragrance and disinfectant. Ponsot adopted this habit, and, with the help of the pharmacist Henri Rivier, created his own recipe wherein benzoin resin was dissolved in alcohol then let to soak into blotting paper. The "alchemy" inherent in Papier d'Arménie became a huge success with the emerging importance of hygiene from 1888–1889, and has been steadily produced in

Montrouge Montrouge () is a commune in the southern Parisian suburbs, located from the centre of Paris. It is one of the most densely populated municipalities in Europe. After a long period of decline, the population has increased again in recent years. ...

, France since 1885. In 2006, during the Year of Armenia in France (''Année de l'Arménie en France''), the celebrated French perfumer of Armenian origin

Francis Kurkdjian Francis Kurkdjian (born 14 May 1969) is a French perfumer and businessman of Armenian descent. He is best known for creating the men's fragrance Le Male for Jean Paul Gaultier in 1995, which has become one of the world's best-selling perfumes. ...

gave his own recreation of the historical recipe.“Papier d'Arménie”, ''Arménie, mon amie. Année de l'Arménie en France'', 21 septembre 2006 - 14 juillet 2007, p. 133

Use

Typically, a strip of Papier d'Arménie is torn from the booklet, folded accordion-style, and placed on a heat-resistant support. The strip is lit and blown on until the paper begins to glow and release the vanilla scent characteristic of resin compounds. The smell is pleasant and subtle, underscoring its primary use as a "purifier". This belief began with the practice of burning Papier d'Arménie on a bell set above a piece of raw meat, which would not rot by the end of a week (as normal meat almost certainly would). Today Papier d'Arménie is sold primarily as a form of incense or perfume, as a form of candle, or as a form of air freshener; strips tucked between the books of a library will keep the air from turning stale for much longer than a conventional product. Papier d'Arménie is also effective at covering the smell of cigarette smoke and that of animals. Papier d'Arménie has been found to release

benzene Benzene is an organic chemical compound with the molecular formula C6H6. The benzene molecule is composed of six carbon atoms joined in a planar ring with one hydrogen atom attached to each. Because it contains only carbon and hydrogen atoms ...

and

formaldehyde Formaldehyde ( , ) (systematic name methanal) is a naturally occurring organic compound with the formula and structure . The pure compound is a pungent, colourless gas that polymerises spontaneously into paraformaldehyde (refer to section ...

in a study of interior deodorizers conducted by a consumer's union. However the same study shows that of the 72 products tested, Papier d'Arménie presented the lowest rates. Normal use does not present a hazard; it is typical to burn 3 or 4 strips per week, and to air the area regularly.

References

{{reflist

External links

"Papier d'Arménie"
Monapart Barcelona, Barcelona, March 25, 2010.
Papier d'Armenie
Incense