Ancient Egyptian mummies smell “spicy” and “sweets”, study finds

Even after 5,000 years in a sarcophagus, the mummified bodies of ancient Egypt still smell quite pleasant, scientists found.

Researchers who looked at nine mummies have found that although there is some difference in the intensity of their odors, all can be described as “tree”, “spicy” and “sweets”.

They say that the recreation of the composition of the odors will allow others to experience a breeze of a mummy – and will help to understand when the bodies inside can begin to rot.

“We want to share the experience that smelled of mummified bodies, so we reconstruct the smell that will be presented at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo,” BBC Radio 4 told the BBC Radio 4 program.

During the mummation process, the ancient Egyptians would surround the body with pleasant odors as an important part of the preparation of a spirit for entering beyond.

As a result, the Pharaohs and the members of nobility were decorated with oils, waxes and conditioners during the mummation process.

“In movies and books, the terrible things happen to those who smell like mummified bodies,” said Dr. Monbiber.

“We were surprised by the pleasantness of them.”

The authors of the academic study, published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society on Thursday, had to get the smell of the sarcophagus without interfering with the mummy inside.

The UCL researchers and the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia did this by inserting a tiny tube so that they could measure the aroma without taking physical samples.

Dr. Bambiber explained that heritage scientists are always trying to find “indestructible” ways to find new information.

Visitors who smell of aromas in museums will be able to experience ancient Egypt and the mummification process from a completely different perspective.

Ally Louks, Head of English Literature at the University of Cambridge, who wrote his doctoral thesis about the smell of politicsHe described this as a “truly innovative” way of handing over the story.

“To engage your nose causes a strong emotional and physical reaction,” she told the BBC.

“We know that smells were essential for social, religious and personal practices (in ancient Egypt),” said Dr. Lux.

Matija Strlič, another member of the teaching team, told the Associated Press that the aromas can even suggest what the mom of the social class is.

“We believe that this approach is potentially of great interest in other types of museum collections,” he said.

In addition to providing museum people with a new mummies sensor, Discovery also presents a potential breakthrough for the mummy conservationists.

Researchers used a technique called gas chromatography to separate the different odors inside the sarcophagus that were combined to make its aroma.

They found odors related to the breakdown of animal fats used in the embalming process, which may indicate that the body begins to decompose.

Because of these findings, it will be possible to “intervene” in the conservation of mummies, identifying how to best store and wrap the bodies, the research document said.

“This is useful for the conservatives who care for this collection (as) we can guarantee that it reaches future generations,” said Dr. Monbiber.