Štukmarmor

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 time that the smells of mummified bodies have been systematically studied combining a mix of …

Ancient Egyptian mummified bodies smell ‘woody,’ ‘spicy’ and ‘sweet’ Read More »

During the public discussion on the draft Protection of Cultural Heritage Act (ZVKD-2), Professor Dr Mojca Ramšak, who heads the project “Smell and Intangible Cultural Heritage“, submitted amendments to the Act on 28 January 2025 to expand the definition of intangible cultural heritage by including smell as a separate category in the concept of “sensory …

An important step towards the protection of sensory and olfactory cultural heritage in Slovenia Read More »

Ethnologists Dr Mojca Ramšak and Dr Karla Oder have teamed up to investigate the multi-layered meaning of sulphur smells in human experience. Their collaboration, which was planned even before the official launch of the project “Smell and intangible cultural heritage”, bridges the gap between tangible and intangible heritage through an innovative study of olfactory experiences. …

The smell of sulphur: Slovenian researchers bridge industrial history and religious symbolism Read More »

HSLL researchers have recently demonstrated that oxalic acid is the main contributor to the increased acidity in paper during natural degradation. In addition, they demonstrated that lignin, a natural component of historic paper particularly after 1850, is a main source of it. This finding is of key significance to the conservation of libraries and archives …

Breakthrough: Oxalic Acid Shown to be the Hidden Driver of Decay in Historic Paper Read More »

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 critical challenges in integrating AI into heritage science. AID HCH aims to establish Slovenia’s first …

Advancing Humanities and Heritage with Artificial Intelligence Read More »

From 27 to 29 November 2024, the CY Cergy Paris Université hosted the EUTOPIA Heritage Research Days, providing a platform for international academic research into the less visible dimensions of cultural heritage.In a lecture, Professor Mojca Ramšak delved into the world of olfactory heritage, revealing the subtle yet profound presence of sensory experiences in Slovenian …

EUTOPIA Heritage Research Days reveal the sensory dimensions of cultural heritage Read More »

In November 2024 the fourth scientific monograph as part of the project ‘Smell and Intangible Cultural Heritage’ has been published. The author, Barbara Pia Jenič, who specialises in sensorial language in art and culture, has written a book on this innovative communication methodology entitled Sensorial Language: Organic Immersion in Experience. Among the senses, the author …

New Book Explores Smell and Sensory Language in Cultural Heritage Read More »

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 Bell Ringers” in Viškovo, Croatia. The town of Viškovo is home to four UNESCO-protected elements …

Professor Mojca Ramšak gave a lecture on the olfactory cultural heritage in Slovenia Read More »

The HeriQuest project addresses the widely recognised problem of understanding cultural heritage values and their effective inclusion in cultural heritage management by addressing two major challenges: the degradation of cultural heritage  due to inadequate involvement of non-expert stakeholders values in decision-making. We will explore how non-expert stakeholders, including local communities and the general public, perceive …

HeriQuest Read More »

Members of the Heritage Science Laboratory Ljubljana, including Prof. Dr. Matija Strlič, Dr. Tjaša Rijavec, Dr. Hend Mahgoub and Špela Pok, were interviewed in the science programme Ugriznimo znanost (Science Bites) on RTV Slovenija, the national TV station. The episode, which can be viewed here (31. Oct 2024), highlighted their research and expertise in the field …

HSLL on National Television Read More »