Site archéologique Lattara, Musée Henri Prades (FR) 20 June 2024 - 3 February 2025
Senteurs célestes
arômes du passé
The exhibition Senteurs célestes, arômes du passé (Heavenly scents, aromas of the past), presented at the Site archéologique Lattara, Musée Henri Prades, in Montpellier from the 20th of June 2024 to the 3rd of February 2025, invites its visitors to explore the history of scents in the ancient Mediterranean. Two works from the Fondation Gandur pour l'Art are on loan for the occasion.
Curators: Diane Dusseaux, Jérôme Gonzalez, Éric Perrin-Saminadayar, Rosa Plana-Mallart, Frédéric Servajean
Covering the civilisations of Egypt, Greece, and Etruria, the exhibition Senteurs célestes, arômes du passé immerses visitors in the olfactory world of the ancient Mediterranean, blending heritage collections with science and innovation. Perfumes and aromatics were primarily used in religious practices to honour the gods and had medicinal purposes, with some plants possessing healing properties. Over time, perfumes became essential for daily hygiene and were used for cosmetic purposes, much like they are today.
Visitors can discover around a hundred works across four sections: "Geography and the Trade of Aromatics," "The Making of Perfumes," "Communicating with the Gods," and "Everyday Scents." Innovative sensory devices, including an olfactory diffuser paired with virtual reality, enhance this immersive experience.
The Fondation Gandur pour l'Art contributes to this exhibition by lending two remarkable objects: a faience plaque with ten ointment vases (7th-4th century BC, Egypt) and a decorated and inscribed vase with rounded handles (1250-1000 BC, Egypt). These pieces offer valuable insights into the heritage of antiquity.
SITE ARCHÉOLOGIQUE LATTARA, MUSÉE HENRI PRADES
390 Route de Pérols
34970 Lattes
France