Woody, spicy or sweet Researchers solve millennia-old mystery surrounding Egyptian mummies
Certain devices can recognize scents.
Image: dpa
Emma Paolin and Abdelrazek Elnaggar from the University of Ljubljana took air samples in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.
Image: dpa
Human sniffers and technical devices analyzed the scent of these mummies.
Image: dpa
Certain devices can recognize scents.
Image: dpa
Emma Paolin and Abdelrazek Elnaggar from the University of Ljubljana took air samples in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.
Image: dpa
Human sniffers and technical devices analyzed the scent of these mummies.
Image: dpa
A study systematically analyzes the smells of ancient Egyptian mummies that died and were embalmed thousands of years ago. Trained human sniffers were also used in the process.
16.02.2025, 09:47
dpa
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- For the first time, a study systematically examined the scents of ancient Egyptian mummies using chemical analysis and trained human sniffers.
- The most common scents were "woody", "spicy" and "sweet", while some mummies also smelled "rancid" or "spoiled".
- The results could enable museums to incorporate the sense of smell into exhibitions and make mummies a multi-sensory experience.
Woody, spicy or sweet: according to a study, this is how many ancient Egyptian mummies smell. It is the first investigation into the typical smells of embalmed mummified bodies, writes the group led by Emma Paolin from University College London (UCL) and the University of Ljubljana in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.
Nine human mummies from the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, most of which date back to the 1st and 2nd millennium BC, were analyzed using various methods.
"The scent of mummified bodies has attracted considerable interest from experts and the public for years," says Matija Strlič, head of the study, in a statement from the London-based university. "But until now there has been no scientific study that has combined chemistry and perception."
Trained sniffers were used
Among other things, specially trained human "sniffers" described the odors in terms of how intense and pleasant they were. The most common odor notes were "woody", followed by "spicy" and "sweet", but some of the mummies' exhalations were also classified as "rancid" or "spoiled".
The molecules and compounds involved were also measured using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. This also enabled the team to determine whether these components originated from preservatives, microorganisms or pesticides.
In Ancient Egypt, corpses were once generally prepared with oils and resins from pine, cedar and juniper, among others, to preserve the body and soul in the afterlife and give them a pleasant scent. Various methods were used for this purpose.
Innovation for museums
The new findings should now enable museums not only to display mummies, but also to involve visitors' noses. Would you be happy to be able to smell mummies when you visit a museum?
