The Fall of the Roman Empire
This major state exhibition in three German museums, explores the decline of the Roman Empire and its legacy. At its height, the Roman Empire covered a huge area, which encompassed most of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East.
Located in Trier, these exhibitions are heavily influenced by local archeological findings and the city’s Roman monuments - several of which are classified as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. As a late Roman imperial residence and the largest Roman metropolis north of the Alps, Trier was a major site of the world's history, known in the 3rd century as the 'second Rome.'
This exciting history is explored in an aromatic way at the Museum am Dom, which contains three scent chambers designed by AVM Curiosities. The aromas have been inspired by local archeological data extracted from the nearby tombs of St. Maximin, which revealed the aromatic resins used in the burial shrouds and the flora found in the burial sites. Displayed in giant decorative vitrines with a sliding panel to sniff through, these scents aim to convey a realistic whiff of Roman rituals.
These pleasant aromas of antiquity are joined the 'scent of purple’, which was inspired by the purple dye used to make the clothes of the Roman elite. This colour was extracted from the murex sea snail, so had a specific fishy aroma that would have been highly prized as it distinguished it as the most exclusive and expensive fabric.
The trio of scents are centre stage at the Museum am Dom, which focuses on the Mosel and Rhine region from the beginnings of Christianity to the 7th century.
The Fall of the Roman Empire
Scent Design by AVM Curiosities
In collaboration with CPL Aromas & Aroma Prime
Museum am Dom Trier | Germany
25 June - 27 November 2022
