Overview
- The interdisciplinary team detailed its method in Frontiers in Environmental Archaeology, offering a replicable path from molecular data to public olfactory experiences.
- Scented cards are now used on guided tours at the Museum August Kestner in Hanover, where curators say smell reframes how visitors perceive mummification.
- A fixed scent diffusion station operates at the Moesgaard Museum in Aarhus, with curators reporting that the aroma deepens understanding of embalming beyond text labels.
- Perfumer Carole Calvez developed multiple formulations of about 20 ingredients each, guided by archaeochemical results, curatorial context, and an olfactory heritage consultant.
- The team emphasizes that these fragrances are interpretive reconstructions that employ modern, safe substitutes to approximate the original ancient balms.