Culture: the past gives up its secrets
22 July 2024
We see cultural artefacts, hear music composed centuries ago and, if we are lucky, get to handle pieces that were created by long-forgotten makers. But what about bringing to life the smell of a historic scene, or an object no longer made? When we turn to ancient manuscripts to understand the past, we have long focused on what was written on the parchment and vellum. But what can the material itself tell us about the lives of the animals that gave up their skins, and of the people tending them?
