Ancient Egyptian mummified bodies smell ‘woody,’ ‘spicy’ and ‘sweet’, finds a new study led by researchers from University College London and the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia, revealing new details about mummification practices dating back thousands of years.
The research, published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, is the first time that the smells of mummified bodies have been systematically studied combining a mix of instrumental and sensory techniques, which allowed the researchers to hone in on the chemical constituents of the mummification process that would have produced detectable odors.
A Truly Groundbreaking Analysis
The team examined nine ancient Egyptian mummified bodies in total, with the oldest coming from New Kingdom days (1,539 to 1,077 BC) and the newest from the Byzantine era (third to fourth century AD). They used gas chromatography and mass spectrometry to detect and quantify scent-related chemicals, and additionally an electronic ‘nose‘ and a panel of human experts classified the odors based on intensity and pleasantness.
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“Ancient Egyptian mummification was a mortuary practice aimed at preserving the body and soul for the afterlife, achieved through a detailed ritual of embalming using oils, waxes, and balms,” the study authors explained in their journal article. “While most research on Egyptian mummified bodies has so far been conducted in European collections, our study focuses on the collection of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.”
(A) Coffin with a mummified body (M7) in the display area of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. (B) Passive sampling with SPME fiber of the headspace within the coffin. (C) Active sampling of the headspace within the coffin was performed with sorbent tubes. (Strlič, et.al/Journal of the American Chemical Society).
The newly collected data offers clues about the materials used in mummification and how practices and ingredients evolved, as well as revealing details about how museums have subsequently conserved the remains. It’s hoped that using this kind of chemical analysis can help keep conservators safe, protect ancient artifacts and preserve their olfactory heritage.
“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,” stated the study’s lead author, Professor Matija Strlič from the UCL Bartlett School Environment, Energy & Resources and the University of Ljubljana. “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.”
Dr Cecilia Bembibre (UCL Bartlett School of Environment, Energy & Resources), added: “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.
“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.”
Odors are chemical molecules suspended in air that have been given off by a substance. The researchers used a gas chromatograph coupled with a mass spectrometer to measure and quantify chemicals emitted by ancient Egyptian mummified bodies on display and in storage in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. In addition, a panel of trained human ‘sniffers’ described the smells in terms of quality, intensity, and pleasantness, adding a subjective aspect to the process that revealed the human experience involved in exposure to a mummy’s odors.
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By combining these methods, the researchers were able to identify whether a smell chemical was emitted by the archaeological item, from conservation products or pesticides that may have been added later, or from the item’s natural deterioration over the years because of molds, bacteria and other microorganisms. The research demonstrated the effectiveness of odor as a non-invasive and non-destructive method to chemically categorize and analyze ancient remains.
One stunning revelation to emerge from this study was the sheer complexity of the menu of chemicals the ancient Egyptians used to preserve bodies and prevent them from decaying over time. In their analysis the researchers discovered traces of natron salts, coniferous resins from pine, cedar, and juniper trees, gum resins like myrrh and frankincense, spices, herbs, flowers, vegetable oils, animal fats and waxes. It should be noted that none of these natural chemicals were chosen exclusively for the smell they produced, but because of their value as preservatives, which would have been discovered over the centuries through a process of trial-and-error.
Chart of the chemical compound that were detected in the bodies of the nine mummies, designated as M1 through M9. (Strlič, et.al/Journal of the American Chemical Society).
Building “Smellscapes” to More Fully Replicate the Past
In addition to gaining a deeper insight into the conservation and material history of ancient mummified bodies, the research will enable museums to engage audiences not just visually, but using their noses as well by creating ‘smellscapes.’ In the future, a contemporary reconstruction of the smell of ancient mummified bodies will be produced by the research team, which will enable audiences to experience this important aspect of ancient Egyptian heritage, and approach practices of embalming and conservation in an engaging, olfactory way.
“To the ancient Egyptians, mummification was an important mortuary practice aimed at preserving the body and soul for the afterlife,” said study co-author Professor Ali Abdelhalim, the director of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. “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.”
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. Even today, about 5,000 years later, conservators often describe the aroma of these mummified bodies as ‘pleasant.’
Emma Paolin, PhD researcher at University of Ljubljana (rear) and Dr Cecilia Bembibre (UCL Bartlett School of Environment, Energy & Resources) (foreground) taking swab samples from mummy and coffin for microbiological analysis. (Abdelrazek Elnaggar/University College London).
The research was conducted in collaboration between conservators and curators at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo and researchers from Slovenia, Poland and the UK. It is hoped that the results will encourage other scientists to investigate questions related to ancient odors in a variety of contexts.
Top image:The Egyptian mummification process, with the god of mummification Anubis attending to the body. Extract from the Papyrus of Hunefer, a 19th-Dynasty Book of the Dead (c. 1300 BC).
Source: British Museum/Public Domain.
This is an edited version of an article originally published as a press release by University College London, entitled ‘Ancient Egyptian Mummified Bodies Smell ‘Woody,’ ‘Spicy’ and ‘Sweet’.’
