Mummy and painted cartonnage of an unknown woman, ca. 850-750 BC. (Photo: Walters Art Museum, via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)
History leaves us with many artifacts, but smells aren’t usually among them. Now, a team of researchers from University College London (UCL) and the University of Ljubljana have evidence to the contrary, thanks to the mummies they sniffed at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.
Earlier this month, the Journal of the American Chemical Society published the team’s study examining the aromas emitted by the remains of nine Egyptian mummies, some of which date back 5,000 years. This investigation serves as the first to systematically study the smells of mummified bodies, seeing researchers combine a sophisticated mix of “instrumental and sensory techniques,” according to a statement from UCL. Human “sniffers” worked alongside electronic “noses” to sample air molecules from sarcophagi without invasive methods.
As it turns out, researchers were pleasantly surprised: the mummies smelled pretty good. In fact, “woody,” “spicy,” and “sweet” were among the leading adjectives researchers used to describe the mummy aromas. Notes of pine, cedar, and juniper were also detected.
“In films and books, terrible things happen to those who smell mummified bodies,” Cecilia Bembibre, director of research at University College London’s Institute for Sustainable Heritage, tells AP. “We were surprised at the pleasantness of them.”
Though each indicates a level of “pleasantness,” these odors are unquestionably distinct. Matija Strlič, a chemist at the University of Ljubljana, made the same observation.
“It was absolutely mind-boggling that the nine mummies smell so differently,” she tells Smithsonian Magazine.
The disparity in odor, however, could offer critical insights into ancient Egyptian hierarchies and culture. Scent figured strongly into the mummification process, where specific fragrances from oils, waxes, and balms used during embalming signified purity and nobility—or the lack thereof.
“Smell was a key consideration for the ancient Egyptians during the mummification process, as pleasant odors were associated with the bodies of deities and their purity, while foul odors were considered indications of a body’s corruption and decay,” UCL’s statement continues.
Beyond being potential indicators of a mummy’s social class, these fragrances may “enable museums to engage audiences not just visually, but using their noses as well by creating ‘smellscapes,’” UCL suggests.
According to researchers, ancient Egyptian mummies smell nice.
Mummy and painted cartonnage of an unknown woman, ca. 850-750 BC. (Photo: Walters Art Museum, via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)
Mummy of a man with boots, leg guards, and breastplate. (Photo: Dada, via Wikimedia Commons, GNU Free Documentation License)
An international team of researchers set out to sniff nine Egyptian mummies from a range of periods and determined that they smelled “woody,” “spicy,” and “sweet.”
The resulting study offers critical insight not only into ancient Egyptian mummification processes but also into their social hierarchies and culture.
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Sources: Ancient Egyptian Mummified Bodies: Cross-Disciplinary Analysis of Their Smell; Ancient Egyptian mummified bodies smell ‘woody,’ ‘spicy’ and ‘sweet’; The scent of the mummy: Research discovers ancient Egyptian remains smell nice; Discover the Aromas of Ancient Egyptian Mummies, From Orange Peels to Pine to Incense
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