Smenkhare Moon

The beginning of all things begins with history. The Ancient Egyptians watched the stars and built the Pyramids aligned with the lights in the sky as a pathway toward Paradise when this life was over and the next was to evolve.

Pharaoh Smenkhare (also known as Ankhkheperure and translated roughly as Vigourous is the soul of RA). There is not much known of this Pharaoh because of the demise of Pharaoh Akhenaten history is muddled. Quite possibly this Pharaoh was the younger brother of Pharaoh Akhenaten but on some transcribed walls that have been found it states quite possibly both brothers died within months of each other. So who was Pharaoh Smenkhare? Some say it was the Queen and wife to Akhenaten, Nefertiti. Dressed as a Pharaoh just like Pharaoh Hatshepsut, she may have indeed taken the throne. Pharaoh Smenkhare took the throne in the years of 1336 through 1334 BC of the late Eighteenth Century. A very short term. In 1907, Edward Ayrton discovered an unfinished tomb (KV55) in the Valley of the Kings. It is controversial but still thought today that Smenkhare or Nefertiti may be one of the three bodies within. The cartouches on the coffin deliberately destroyed — much like all of historical glyph where Akhenaten and Nefertiti were once written upon, destroyed to forget that specific reign of Pharaoh and Queen. They wanted to create an Egypt with one God rather than the many Deities and Gods and Goddess. The association with Akhenaten contaminated this two year reign and it was short lived.

Did Pharaoh Smenkhare adjust belief and return religion to the many Gods, Goddess and Deities of Egypt or was it too late to return in spite of Akhenaten's reign? Had Nefertiti attempted to become Pharaoh after Akhenaten's death? Did she not succeed? It is said the mummy found in KV55 has the same characteristics of the skeleton of that knowledge of Akhenaten. Was Smenkhare perhaps Akhenaten attempting to return the world he changed back to what was before him? We can only hope to know. The mysteries of Smenkhare are very fitting for this update as it truly is a mysterious part of Egyptian history.

Smenkhare Moon continues our Pharaoh Moons with a Moon perfume created under the full moon of San Francisco on August 13, 2011. As Pharaoh Smenkhare was associated with both Akhenaten and Nefertiti, it was necessary to create a great scent for this royal built on accords for a Temple incense formed from mysterious perfumes and resin. Deep Resins were the choice for this moon and the mysterious scent, when blended, that derive a perfume for both male and female of scent for the season.

In our quest to create the next Moon scent of NA we searched through countless books on lunar phases and history; countless times did the subject matter return to the early astrology of the Ancients. For Smenkhare Moon we wanted to find the meaning of his/her spirituality by the means of incense and resin cause for enlightenment by scent and exploration of resin and the paths one must venture to fulfill this mysterious and beautifully enchanting scent into the Pharaoh Moons. As the moon is an important influence to time and light, eclipse and the energy of the tides, it is also a dark place that is only lit by the sun at seven percent. The moon itself is a dark planet that reflects the sun to give us light in the evening thus a wonderful revelation for our eighth Moon.

We choose the night for our inspiration because of the vulnerability of it. We choose the moon for the romantic notion it holds in our world. We choose the moon because of the connection we have inherent as the movement of the tides of the great oceans of the world connect to it. We are part of it and without it the romance of knowing sun and moon will never touch elements but they can share of themselves briefly every night at seven percent. They can lay upon each other during eclipses and sometimes they can separate the world and unite it at the same time simply by ruling the skies.

This is the Eighth of the new Nocturne Alchemy 'Pharaoh Moons'.

Egyptian Cedar, Black Musk, Black Amber Resin, Black Vanilla, Black Cacao, Soft Spices, Red Amyris, a drop of rare Blue Neroli and a harmonizing Vanilla Accord to bind all these things and make them one.