“Woody”, spicy”, “sweet”: the smell of the mummified body of ancient Egypt reveals new insights into the practice of preservatives

Mummified remains in ancient Egypt smell “woody”, “spicy” and “sweet” and find new research led by researchers from UCL and Ljubljana University, revealing new details on mummification practices .

The study, published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, combines the smell of a mummified body with a combination of instruments and sensory techniques, including electronic “nose” and trained human “sniffers.” This is the first time that it has been systematically studied. Nine ancient Egyptian mummified bodies have been studied.

This new data provides clues about the materials used in mummification, how practices and ingredients evolved, and reveals details about how the museum subsequently preserved the remains.

Using this type of chemical analysis is expected to help keep guardians safe, protect ancient artifacts, and maintain their sense of smell.

Lead author, Professor Matya Strich (UCL Bartlett School Environment, Energy & Resources, University of Ljubljana), said, “The smell of mummified bodies has attracted great interest from experts and the public for many years, and chemistry. No combination of tropic and perceptual scientific research has been carried out so far.

“This groundbreaking study will help us better plan conservation and understand ancient preservatives. It adds another data layer to enrich the museum’s exhibitions. I’ll do that.”

“Two aspects of this research stand out to me: First, new information is revealed by smells and use sensations to understand the past,” said Dr. Cecilia Benbibre, UCL Bartlett School of Environment. I emphasized the importance of this.

“Secondly, while most of the research on mummified bodies has been conducted in European museums so far, here, working closely with Egyptian colleagues, to express expertise and perceptual experiences; We have jointly developed an ethical and respectful approach to studying Maimisation. The Body.

Odors are chemical molecules suspended in the air released by substances. Researchers used gas chromatographs in conjunction with a mass spectrometer to measure and quantify chemicals released by nine ancient Egyptian mummified bodies during display and storage at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo . Additionally, a panel of trained human “sniffers” explained the smell in terms of quality, strength and comfort.

By combining these methods, researchers have long been able to release odor chemicals from conservation products or pesticides that may have been added later, or because of mold, bacteria, and others. It was possible to determine whether the item was fired from natural deterioration over time. Microorganisms.

This study demonstrated the effectiveness of odor as a non-invasive and non-destructive method for chemically classifying and analyzing ancient remains.

In addition to gaining deeper insight into the preservation of ancient mummified bodies and material history, this study also makes the museum use its nose not only visually but by creating “smelling scenery.” This will attract viewers.

In the future, modern reconstruction of the smell of ancient mummified bodies will be produced by the research team. This allows audiences to experience this important aspect of ancient Egyptian heritage and approach preservatives and preservation practices in an attractive and olfactory way.

Co-author Professor Ali Abdelharim, director of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, said, “For ancient Egyptians, mummies use death use for their use of death for their lives after death through detailed rituals of enlightenment for retirees. It was an important funeral practice aimed at maintaining the body and soul: oils, waxes, perfumes.

“This practice evolves over time and identifying the various technologies and materials used will provide insight into the age, place and socioeconomic status of individuals who are mummified.”

Smell was an important consideration for the ancient Egyptians during the mummification process. The pleasant odor was associated with the body of the gods and its purity, so the odor was considered a sign of decay and decay in the body.

Even today, about five thousand years later, parents often describe these mummified body scents as “comfortable.” This is because it is a product of coniferous trees and oils (pine, cedar, juniper, etc.), gum resin (because it is a product of Myrrrh and Frankincense, etc.), and waxes.

This study was conducted in collaboration with parents and curators and researchers from Slovenia, Poland and the UK at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.