The Scent of Eternity
2023
olfactory reconstruction
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olfactory reconstruction *
Carole Calvez was commissioned by Barbara Huber to recreate « The Perfume of Eternity » : a fragrance inspired by the substances used in the mummification of an Egyptian woman over 3,500 years ago. This process goes far beyond merely recreating the scent of an embalming balm; it embodies the rich cultural, historical, and spiritual significance of ancient Egyptian funerary practices. Through an immersive, multisensory experience, visitors were able to connect with the past through smell, feeling the mystique of Egyptian mummification translated into the modern era.
Context : scientific research
Co-creation with : Barbara Huber, chemist-archaeologist at the Max Planck Institute
The Perfume of Eternity was presented during the temporary exhibition Ancient Egypt Obsessed with Life at the Moesgaard Museum in Aarhus (DK). Contribution of Sofia Collette Ehrich (olfactory museology).
Limestone canopic jar from the Egyptian lady Senetnay, originally containing her mummified lungs. Credits : Christian Tepper / Museum August Kestner
Dammar resin next to a bottle of the old fragrance recreated on the basis of scientific analysis. Credits : Barbara Huber
Process of reconstructing the Fragrance of Eternity. Credits : Carole Calvez
Credits : Moesgaard Museum
View of the exhibition. Credits : Moesgaard Museum
Additional tasks carried out:
exchanges with Barbara Huber
research based on Barbara Huber’s chemical analyses, aiming to identify residual molecules in the balm originating from the original mummification materials
consultation and development for two olfactory presentations
Examples of scent presentations :
In the form of scent cards for the presentation of the perfume during Barbara Huber’s doctoral defense
as a diffusion device designed for the Moesgaard Museum
Creation of the Perfume of Eternity — a reconstruction of the scent of embalming balm and the multiple layers of the mummification process:
a woody, resinous, aromatic, balsamic, enveloping, powdery, green, sharp, and powerful fragrance.
among the fifteen known ingredients used for the reconstruction: Beeswax and vegetable oil (base components) + Conifer resin—likely larch and pine (the most significant additive) + Dammar resin (noted for its balsamic aroma)