Smelling Disease and Death in the Antwerp Church of Our Lady, c. 1450-1559

Early modern societies were pervaded by smells and odours, but few traces have survived that offer a glimpse of the olfactory experience. This essay reconstructs this lost early ‘smellscape’, focusing on smell disease death in late medieval Antwerp Church Our Lady (c. 1450-1559). Bustling cathedrals parish churches could be minefield life-threatening as there was strong interaction between externally perceived body odour person’s inner sweetness. Through devotional objects liturgical rituals, however, it possible to protect oneself from stench both living dead parishioners. Exemplary markers for shared discourse medical spiritual level aromatic prayer beads purifying incense.