Would you like to know what the sixteenth century smelt ? A team of researchers is trying to find . Scientists, historians and experts smells have embarked a $3.3 million project to identify and even recreate the aromas that filled the air the 16th and early 20th centuries. The project is called "Odeuropa: Negotiating Olfactory and Sensory Experiences in Cultural Heritage Practice and Research". The goal is to develop an online encyclopaedia smells, including biographies distinct odours that are specific to past times. The website will reveal insights the emotions aroused the smells bygone centuries and the places associated certain scents.
The project website says: "Smells shape our experience the world, yet we have very little sensory information the past." It lists a series questions it hopes researchers will answer. These are: "What are the key scents...that have shaped our cultures? How can we extract sensory data large-scale digital text and image collections? How can we represent smell all its facets a database? How should we safeguard our olfactory heritage? And - Why should we?" Team leader Dr William Tullett wants people to be aware an array smells, pleasant and unpleasant. He said: "We are trying to encourage people to consider both the foul and the fragrant elements Europe’s olfactory past."
