One would expect a mummy to smell moldy, musty, and mildewy. But the first study to systematically sniff the wrapped human remains report much more pleasant scents, describing whiffs as “woody,” “spicy,” and “sweet,” according to a report in in Journal of the American Chemical Society.
“The smell of mummified bodies has for years attracted significant interest from experts and the general public, but no combined chemical and perceptual scientific study has been conducted until now,” lead author, Matija Strlič, a UCL scientist and author of the paper, said in a press release.
Unwrapping the Scent of a Mummy
Researchers from the University College London and University of Ljubljana, working with conservators and curators at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, deployed a variety of techniques to explore mummies’ scent spectrum, including a variety of instruments, nine human sniffers, and an electronic nose.
The study provides insight into the materials used for mummification, how preservation practices changed over time, and the effects of museum storage. It could lead to better mummy conservation.
“This ground-breaking research really helps us better plan conservation and understand the ancient embalming materials. It adds another layer of data to enrich the museum exhibition of mummified bodies,” said Strlič in the release.
Read More: The Mummification Process: How Ancient Egyptians Preserved Bodies for the Afterlife
Analyzing Odor Molecules
Odors are essentially molecules in the air emitted by substances. So it made sense that the researchers deployed analytical chemistry tools to suss out the scents. They were especially interested in the origin of each smell. They intended to pinpoint scents resulting from the original mummification process, pesticides that may have been added later, and the result of decay caused by a variety of microorganisms.
There is a certain internal logic to making mummies smell good. Their creators didn’t want the dearly departed to carry their funk into the afterlife.
“To the ancient Egyptians, mummification was an important mortuary practice aimed at preserving the body and soul for the afterlife through a detailed ritual of embalming of the deceased using oils, waxes and balms,” Ali Abdelhalim, an author of the paper and director of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, said in the release. “The practice evolved over time, and identifying different techniques and materials used offers insights into the era, location and socioeconomic status of the individual being mummified.”
The Importance of Scent
Scent was an important aspect of ancient Egyptian culture. Pleasant smells were associated with deities, while foul ones indicated corruption and decay associated with mortality.
The researchers determined that the mummies’ perfume came from a complex mix of sources. They included oils from pine, cedar, and juniper trees, resins like frankincense and myrrh, and a variety of waxes.
Eventually, those scents could be sniffed by the general public. Now that mummies’ bouquets have been parsed, museums may recreate them. Such mummy smellscapes might be a coming soon to a museum near you.
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Before joining Discover Magazine, Paul Smaglik spent over 20 years as a science journalist, specializing in U.S. life science policy and global scientific career issues. He began his career in newspapers, but switched to scientific magazines. His work has appeared in publications including Science News, Science, Nature, and Scientific American.
