Ancient Egypt’s mummies continue to detach odors after five millennia of embalming. Now, a pioneer investigation has identified the aromas that emanate from these mummified bodies.
Curators and conservatives of the Egyptian Museum of Cairo, in collaboration with scientists from Slovenia, Poland and the United Kingdom, used various instrumental and sensory techniques to quantify and classify chemical substances released by mummies. The purpose was to determine if current smells could offer clues about the materials used in their mummification.
Matija Strlič, a professor at the University of Liubliana and main author of the study, points out that “the aroma of mummified bodies has aroused a great interest between experts and the public for years, but so far a scientific analysis had not been carried out that combined chemistry and sensory perception. This research helps us Plan better conservation and to understand the old embalming materials ”.
Odors are chemical molecules suspended in the air that can be identified by the sense of smell. Based on this principle, the researchers used a gas chromatograph to separate the different chemical compounds present in the smells. Subsequently, through a mass spectrometer, they identified and quantified each of these components. The study classified volatile substances in four categories according to their origin: original mummification materials, vegetable oils used for conservation, synthetic pesticides and products derived from microbiological deterioration.
A team of smell experts contributed to characterize each of these emanations and evaluate their intensity. The results indicated that The Egyptian mummies have a sweet, loved and spicy aroma. This investigation showed that smell analysis is a non -invasive and effective method to categorize and chemically examine the ancient remains.
Cecilia Bembibre, doctor at the Bartlett School of Environment, Energy and Resources of the University College London, take samples of swabs for microbiological analyzes at the University of Economy of Krakow.Courtesy abdelrazek elnaggar/University College London
The tests were carried out in nine mummified bodies exhibited and stored in the Egyptian Museum of Cairo. In addition to providing information on materials and the evolution of mummification techniques, findings will contribute to improving conservation methods and preserving their olfactory inheritance.
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