Experts Conduct First Comprehensive Study on Smell of Mummies, Results Indicate the Remains’ Link to God

Ancient Egyptian mummies have always attracted a lot of intrigue. Everything about them, right from the person inside it to the way they were embalmed has been analyzed to bits. However, one aspect of mummies that has been an unsolved puzzle for researchers is their smell. A new study focussed on this element and published their findings in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. 

This study was conducted by researchers from UCL and the University of Ljubljana. The results indicated that the mummies smelled 'woody,' 'spicy' and 'sweet.' Through the examination, researchers unearthed many new details regarding mummification practices. The study marks the first time, the smell of mummies is analyzed using comprehensive techniques. In total nine subjects from the Egyptian Museum in Cairo were focussed on in this examination. Researchers think the study's results will help museums in the future to engage visitors not only through visuals but also smell, in the case of mummies. 

The study claimed that odors typically hang in the air as chemical molecules. Experts applied a combination of gas chromatograph and mass spectrometer to quantify the chemicals released by the mummies. Trained human sniffers were brought on board to reveal characteristics like pleasantness, intensity, and quality of the smell. The methodology further allowed researchers to understand if the smell was erupting out of an archeological item, due to deterioration of a certain entity over the years or from conservation products. 

For the examination, the study employed several instrumental and sensory techniques which included appliances like electronic noses. Researchers think the analysis will not only help them to understand ancient embalming practices but also enable them to figure out better methods for protecting the olfactory heritage of historical artifacts. "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. This ground-breaking research 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," lead author Prof. Matija Strlič said, according to Science Daily.

Researchers were happy with the way the study progressed because it incorporated feedback from Egyptian experts. "Two aspects of this study stand out to me. First, new information was revealed by the smells, highlighting the importance of using our senses to understand the past," Dr Cecilia Bembibre (UCL Bartlett School of Environment, Energy & Resources) said.  "Secondly, while most of the studies on mummified bodies have taken place in European museums so far, here we worked closely with Egyptian colleagues to ensure their expertise and perceptual experience were represented, and we jointly developed an ethical and respectful approach to studying the mummified bodies."

Experts associated with the study want to continue working on the mummies through the olfactory angle and further understand how embalming processes evolved. Smell was a priority for ancient Egyptians, because of its implied meaning. Sweet meant a link to god and their purity while foul odors indicated corruption.

To this date, the smellers as well as peoplenearo the mummies describe their smell as 'pleasant,' meaning that ancient Egyptians put a lot of thought into this aspect. "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 the deceased using oils, waxes, and balms. The practice evolved, and identifying different techniques and materials used offers insights into the era, location, and socioeconomic status of the individual being mummified," co-author Professor Ali Abdelhalim, director of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, said.