In a far-flung part of Media lived a princess by the name of Amytis. She loved above all things the region's verdant mountains and its plains redolent of rose and jasmine.

Promised to King Nebuchadnezzar II, she had to leave her native region to reign over majestic Babylon, the magnificient, magical, timeless city surrounded by the sand dunes of the desert...

Amytis and the king fell deeply in love with each over, and whiled away their days happily in the city. And yet, despite the attentiveness of her beloved, the young queen was haunted by sorrow.

Uneasy and worried about her wellbeing, the king sought advice from the goddess Ishtar. And it was she who inspired in him the idea of building some magnificient gardens in which Amytis might find once more the beauty of flowers, and the scents she loved so much.

And so it was that the Hanging Gardens of Babylon came into being, the dazzling result of undying love...

At the end of the day, Amytis often walked around the city, when the merchants had left and the daylight was beginning to fade.The heat was gentle, the air filled with calm and serenity.

She was particularly fond of a small grove not far from the temple where the scents of frankincense, benzoin and myrrh mingled with the fruitier and spicier aromas from the royal kitchens.
She sat there, deeply breathing in that deliciously addictive, reassuring and comforting fragrance. Day after day, her life began to feel lighter... Her worries and anxieties were disappearing slowly. She once again felt at peace...

Unable to do without it, she asked that the fragrance be reproduced so that she could breathe it in at home in her flat. She named it Anshar.

In the heart of the Babylonian city, behind the ziggurat, was a small palace with a rather unusual appearance. A replica of the main palace, it had rounded staircases at each end, giving it the appearance of having two incredibly comforting and protective arms.
Amytis decided to make it a place that was open to the inhabitants of the city, so that everyone could find peace during difficult times...

One evening, totally exhausted yet intrigued, the king decided to go there. After crossing a porch, he pushed open a heavy door and discovered a warmly coloured room filled with precious fabrics. Several small vessels resting on embers were randomly placed, filling the room with a delicious, soothing, reassuring and comforting scent. A bit of white puffy smoke was emanating from it...

Piqued by curiosity, the king approached one of the vessels. The lovely white smoke swirled around him, gently permeating every cell in his body. It slowly absorbed his worries and anxieties. It washed away his unhappiness. He felt an incredible sense of well-being. He was now soothed, refreshed and at peace...

That evening, as he left the palace with its protective arms, the king, with a smile on his face, told himself that he had had a wonderful time...