Olf. Odeur. Oud. - The importance of olfaction for cultural heritage
Abstract
The sense of smell is an important source of information, informing us of spoilt food or warning us of fire. It is the sense that develops first in newborns. Nevertheless, its importance for cultural heritage has been largely ignored in the past. Today, smells - whether as a nauseating odeur or a sensual scent - are recognised as a serious aspect of cultural heritage.
Every place has its odour: it leaves an olfactory impression in personal and collective memory. Odours have different meanings for different people, depending on the personal and collective experiences and emotions associated with them. Odours therefore have no intrinsic meaning, but are linked to collective and individual attributions of meaning and are therefore culturally determined. Odours therefore contribute to the formation of identity.
Culturally significant buildings and urban spaces are generally regarded as a source of information for understanding their historical, social, aesthetic or spiritual significance.
Through their arrangement, shape, colour, size or material composition, they allow conclusions to be drawn about past ways and conditions of life. Historic places bear traces of past human activities, and some of them also possess olfactory qualities.
The inclusion of odours in the study of historic sites means, among other things, that conservation measures in dealing with the historic substance should be reconsidered, ultimately taking into account the olfactory patina. This will consequently have an impact on conservation decisions, as values should not only be based on visual qualities, but ideally the olfactory elements should also be taken into account.
The lecture is dedicated to the cultural significance of odours for understanding their role in the past and present as well as their conservation and mediation.
CV
Alexandra Skedzuhn-Safir studied stone and ceramic conservation at the Istituto per l'Arte e il Restauro in Florence and worked for several years on restoration projects in the field. She obtained her BA degree in Conservation of Architectural Surfaces at the HAWK in Hildesheim and her MA in World Heritage Studies at the BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg. Her PhD in heritage conservation focussed on the topography of prostitution in 19th century Florence and the cultural significance of historic brothels.
Her research and teaching interests focus on marginalisation in the heritage conservation discourse, the inherent conflict between the restoration of historic buildings and the preservation of their value, and the interpretation of cultural heritage. Her postdoctoral project is dedicated to the odours of historic sites and their cultural significance. She is investigating the impact of these odours on the formation of identity and the resulting treatment of cultural heritage.
For her research on the "100 most fragrant places" in Japan, she received a long-term scholarship from the JSPS (Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science) in 2024.
Alexandra Skedzuhn-Safir is a member of ICOMOS and the Working Group for Theory and Teaching of Heritage Conservation (AKTLD), among others.
