Seattle Bellevue
Sign In

Pomander

po·​man·​der | ˈpō-ˌman-dər

noun

A case for scented objects, worn as a pendant

The pomander is a french term, derived from the phrase for “apple of amber”. A pomander is a specialized case that carries scented objects and may be worn as a pendant or carried by its owner. Perfumes including musk, civet, or ambergris may have been held in it. They were often also carried as a way to ward off illness or to cover bad smells in a time of pestilence or during travel. These cases were commonly hung from the neck of their wearers in the Middle Ages, and were common until the 17th century. There were a number of types of pomanders using materials like agarwood, gum arabic, lavender, nutmeg, styrax, rosemary and many others depending on preference and availability.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z