Welcome to

Heritage Science
Laboratory Ljubljana

Welcome to

Heritage Science
Laboratory Ljubljana

We are based at the Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology and consists of a diverse group of researchers addressing interdisciplinary heritage science research questions. These often require cutting edge scientific skills and facilities, but also a highly collaborative approach to research. To read more about what shapes our research philosophy, consider this editorial by the Lab Lead, professor Matija Strlič.

Featured news

and events

  • PhD Opportunity at HSLL

    March 19th, 2025IResearchI

    Heritage Science Laboratory Ljubljana is pleased to be offering a 4-year fully funded PhD position, starting on 1 Oct 2025. Project description This PhD project focuses on developing an advanced, non-destructive colorimetric sensor array for material characterization in heritage institutions. [...]

  • Expert Meeting on the Degradation of Weighted Silk Objects in Heritage Collections

    March 19th, 2025IImpact, ResearchI

    We are announcing the upcoming Expert Meeting 2: The Degradation of Weighted Silk Objects in Heritage Collections, which will take place on March 24–25, 2025, at the Slovenian Ethnographic Museum in Ljubljana. This event is part of the SAFESILK research [...]

  • Ancient Egyptian mummified bodies smell ‘woody,’ ‘spicy’ and ‘sweet’

    February 13th, 2025IImpact, Publication, Research, University NewsI

    Ancient Egyptian mummified bodies smell ‘woody,’ ‘spicy’ and ‘sweet’, finds a new study led by researchers from the University of Ljubljana, revealing new details about mumification practices. The research, published in Journal of the American Chemical Society, is the first [...]

  • Dr. Idelfonso Nogueira Joins the Heritage Science Laboratory Ljubljana

    February 4th, 2025IResearchI

    Dr. Idelfonso Bessa dos Reis Nogueira, expert in artificial intelligence and process systems engineering, is joining the Heritage Science Laboratory Ljubljana (HSLL). Dr. Nogueira is Associate Professor at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim, where he [...]

  • Advancing Humanities and Heritage with Artificial Intelligence

    December 9th, 2024IResearchI

    The Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency recentlz approved a new »large« project called AID HCH – Advancing Humanities and Cultural Heritage with Artificial Intelligence, to launch on 1 January 2025. This three-year initiative attracted €1.5M funding in total and addresses [...]

  • Professor Mojca Ramšak gave a lecture on the olfactory cultural heritage in Slovenia

    November 26th, 2024IImpactI

    Professor Dr Mojca Ramšak gave a remarkable lecture on Slovenian olfactory heritage during the recent conference on the institutionalisation of intangible cultural heritage. The event took place on 22 and 23 November 2024 at the Museum "House of the Halubje [...]

Featured news

and events

  • PhD Opportunity at HSLL

    March 19th, 2025IResearchI

    Heritage Science Laboratory Ljubljana is pleased to be offering a 4-year fully funded PhD position, starting on 1 Oct 2025. Project description This PhD project focuses on developing an advanced, non-destructive colorimetric sensor array for material characterization in heritage institutions. [...]

  • Expert Meeting on the Degradation of Weighted Silk Objects in Heritage Collections

    March 19th, 2025IImpact, ResearchI

    We are announcing the upcoming Expert Meeting 2: The Degradation of Weighted Silk Objects in Heritage Collections, which will take place on March 24–25, 2025, at the Slovenian Ethnographic Museum in Ljubljana. This event is part of the SAFESILK research [...]

  • Ancient Egyptian mummified bodies smell ‘woody,’ ‘spicy’ and ‘sweet’

    February 13th, 2025IImpact, Publication, Research, University NewsI

    Ancient Egyptian mummified bodies smell ‘woody,’ ‘spicy’ and ‘sweet’, finds a new study led by researchers from the University of Ljubljana, revealing new details about mumification practices. The research, published in Journal of the American Chemical Society, is the first [...]

  • Dr. Idelfonso Nogueira Joins the Heritage Science Laboratory Ljubljana

    February 4th, 2025IResearchI

    Dr. Idelfonso Bessa dos Reis Nogueira, expert in artificial intelligence and process systems engineering, is joining the Heritage Science Laboratory Ljubljana (HSLL). Dr. Nogueira is Associate Professor at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim, where he [...]

  • Advancing Humanities and Heritage with Artificial Intelligence

    December 9th, 2024IResearchI

    The Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency recentlz approved a new »large« project called AID HCH – Advancing Humanities and Cultural Heritage with Artificial Intelligence, to launch on 1 January 2025. This three-year initiative attracted €1.5M funding in total and addresses [...]

  • Professor Mojca Ramšak gave a lecture on the olfactory cultural heritage in Slovenia

    November 26th, 2024IImpactI

    Professor Dr Mojca Ramšak gave a remarkable lecture on Slovenian olfactory heritage during the recent conference on the institutionalisation of intangible cultural heritage. The event took place on 22 and 23 November 2024 at the Museum "House of the Halubje [...]

  • Workshop: Photography and Microscopy

    February 3rd, 2025IResearchI

    The documentation of heritage objects throughout the conservation process is essential for safeguarding their preservation and integrity. Precisely recording details of the colour of an object, morphological characteristics, and material composition, along with accurate measurements, is crucial comprehensive condition assessment [...]

Active projects

We have led EU collaborative projects focussed on the development of non-destructive characterisation of cultural heritage (SurveNIR, PAPYLUM), and collaborated in projects on the development and evaluation of new conservation interventions (InkCor, Laclepa) and preventive conservation strategies (GreenArt, APACHE, PaperVOC). Recently, our work has focused on the development of heritage science infrastructure (E-RIHS IP, E-RIHS PP, Iperion HS) and new methods to be be offered to users in the future European Research Infrastructure for Heritage Science, including its Slovenian node.

The research projects are underpinned by two stable funding grants: Research Programme N-DAD and Infrastructure Programme E-RIHS.SI.

Active projects

We have led EU collaborative projects focussed on the development of non-destructive characterisation of cultural heritage (SurveNIR, PAPYLUM), and collaborated in projects on the development and evaluation of new conservation interventions (InkCor, Laclepa) and preventive conservation strategies (GreenArt, APACHE, PaperVOC). Recently, our work has focused on the development of heritage science infrastructure (E-RIHS IP, E-RIHS PP, Iperion HS) and new methods to be be offered to users in the future European Research Infrastructure for Heritage Science, including its Slovenian node.

The research projects are underpinned by two stable funding grants: Research Programme N-DAD and Infrastructure Programme E-RIHS.SI.