Smell in intangible heritage. Odeuropa research project

Many heritage organisations are aware of the extent to which our sense of smell is intertwined with emotion and memory. However, many lack the terminology, methodology and tools to be able to identify, consolidate and promote the olfactory in the realm of heritage. Despite a large part of the Odeuropa project being based on smell from a historic standpoint, a small, yet no less crucial, part of the research is deeply rooted in the present day. Seeking to analyse and emphasise the (conscious and unconscious) role of smell in the safeguarding, transmission, and experience of intangible cultural heritage, this part of the project has, up until now, focused on two main case studies. Combined, the study of the French law on the protection of rural sensory heritage and the analysis of the practices and experiences surrounding milling in Poland bring us a step closer to putting the pieces of this sensory puzzle together.