Ancient Egyptian mummies still smell nice, study finds

Scientists have recently discovered that even after sleeping in sarcophagi for five millennia, the remains of ancient Egyptian mummies still emit pleasant odors. This discovery provides a new perspective for understanding ancient Egyptian culture and the preservation of mummies, offering insights into their practices.

Researchers conducted odor analysis on nine mummies and found that although the intensity of the odors varied, they could all be described as "woody," "spicy," and "sweet." They plan to recreate these scents through chemical methods, allowing more people to experience the aroma of mummies and helping to determine if a mummy is beginning to decay. Researcher Cecilia Bembibre stated that they hope to display these reconstructed scents in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, sharing their experience of smelling the mummies.

In the mummification process, ancient Egyptians used fragrant substances to wrap the corpses, which was considered an important preparation for the soul's entry into the afterlife. Consequently, pharaohs and nobles would use large quantities of oils, waxes, and balms during mummification. Dr. Bembibre stated that, contrary to what is depicted in movies and books, they were surprised by how pleasant these odors were, highlighting the sophistication of their embalming techniques.

To obtain the odors inside the sarcophagi, researchers from University College London and the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia used a non-destructive method. They inserted a thin tube to measure the odors without extracting any physical samples. Dr. Bembibre explained that conservation scientists are constantly striving to find "non-destructive" methods to discover new information. Ellie Luks, a British literature tutor at Cambridge University, believes this is a "truly innovative" way to disseminate history, as odors can evoke strong emotional and physical responses, and scent was crucial in ancient Egyptian social, religious, and personal practices.

Research team member Matija Strlič stated that these odors could even hint at the social class of the mummified individual. The researchers used gas chromatography to separate the different odors inside the sarcophagi and discovered odors related to the decomposition of animal fats used in the embalming process, which may indicate that the body is beginning to decompose. Based on these findings, the researchers believe that "practical interventions" can be made in the preservation of mummies by identifying the best ways to store and wrap the bodies. Dr. Bembibre stated that this is very useful for the conservators responsible for preserving these collections, ensuring they can be passed down to future generations.