pomander

pomander (POH-man-der, poh-MAN-der) - n., a mixture of aromatic substances enclosed in a perforated bag or box, formerly carried as a perfume or a guard against infection, now used to scent clothes and linens; the bag, ball, or other case used to carry it; a clove-studded orange or apple used to scent clothes and linens.


Worn on one's person from the mid-13th through 17th centuries. "As a perfume" is a little misleading -- it's more so to have a personal scent that overpowered bad smells from other people and things. From Old French pome d'embre, lit. apple of amber. Portrait of a woman holding a pomander on a gold chain:


Thanks, WikiMedia!

---L.