Ancient Egyptian mummies smell ‘sweet’ and ‘spicy’, researchers say

Ancient Egyptian mummies smell “woody,” “spicy” and “sweet”, according to researchers who took part in a unique new study.

Researchers used what they described as “trained, human sniffers” and equipment like an electronic, artificial nose of sorts to study the scent of nine mummified bodies.

They said smell was a key consideration for ancient Egyptians when it came to the mummification process, meaning that even 5,000 years later, conservators widely consider the aroma “pleasant” due to the use of resins and oils such as pine, cedar, and juniper.

The findings, researchers said, which were published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, show that smell can be used as a way of analysing the preserved bodies in a non-invasive way, but they also want to find a way to recreate the smells in museums to give visitors the full mummy experience.

The research was carried out by teams at the University College London (UCL) and the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia in collaboration with conservators and curators at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.

Lead author professor Matija Strlic said: “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 really 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.”

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Professor Ali Abdelhalim, co-author and director of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, said: “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 of the deceased using oils, waxes and balms.

“The practice evolved over time, and identifying different techniques and materials used offers insights into the era, location and socioeconomic status of the individual being mummified.”

The researchers used various techniques and scientific equipment to identify the chemicals emitted by the mummified bodies, then the panel of human “sniffers” described the smells in terms of quality, intensity, and pleasantness.

They said they would now attempt to create “smellscapes” in museums with ancient mummy exhibits to “enable audiences to experience this important aspect of ancient Egyptian heritage”.