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A study of ancient Egyptian mummies has found that their scent can be unexpectedly pleasant, highlighting the importance of scents in the embalming process and cultural notions of purity and the afterlife.
A team of scientists from University College London and the University of Ljubljana studied the smells of nine mummies up to 5000 years old, kept at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. Using both chemical analysis and a panel of human sniffers, the researchers described the scents as “woody,” “spicy,” and “sweet,” and found floral notes that likely came from the resins used in the embalming process. “We were surprised by their pleasantness,” – said Cecilia Bambibre, head of research at the Institute for Sustainable Heritage.
Mummification in ancient Egypt was not only a way of preserving the body, but also a spiritual ritual, where scents played a symbolic role. Fragrant oils, waxes, and balms were associated with purity and deities, while bad odors were considered signs of decay and corruption. Researchers have tried to determine whether the odors detected come from the mummies themselves, or are the result of preservation or microbial activity, and have found that the museum environment is conducive to excellent preservation of the remains.
Using technical tools to analyze the air near sarcophagi allows for non-contact determination of the state of preservation of mummies and even an idea of their social status. This opens up new possibilities for museums and archaeological research, as such methods can be applied to other ancient artifacts. At the same time, researchers warn that the smells of mummies today may differ significantly from those they had when they were created, as millennia of storage and natural chemical processes may have altered their original aroma.
The researchers also plan to create “olfactory landscapes” to recreate the scents of mummies for museum displays. This will allow visitors to immerse themselves more deeply in the atmosphere of ancient Egyptian culture, since modern museums, as Bembibre notes, are “white cubes” where visitors can only look at the exhibits through glass cases. Recreating authentic smells will help to better understand the traditions and rituals that accompanied mummification and create a more interactive museum experience.
