Even after 5000 years in sarcophagus, mummified bodies from ancient Egypt still smell quite nice, scientists have revealed.
Researchers who examined nine mummies found that, although there was a difference in the intensity of their scents, everyone could be described as “wooden”, “spicy” and “sweet”.
They say that recreation of the composition of the smell of chemically will allow others to experience the mummy – and help say when the bodies from the inside can begin to rot.
“We want to share the experience we smelled of mummified bodies, so we reconstruct the scent that will be presented at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo,” said Cecilia Bembibre, one of the researchers, for the BBC Radio 4’s Today Program.
During the mumification process, the ancient Egyptians would surround the body with pleasant scents as an important part of the preparation of the spirit to enter the afterlife.
As a result, Pharaohs and members of the nobility were decorated with oils, waxes and balms during the mumification process.
“In films and books, terrible things happen to those who smell of mummified bodies,” said Mrs. Bembibre.
“We were surprised by the pleasure of them.”
The authors of the academic studies, published in The Journal of the American Chemical Society on Thursday, had to smell from sarcophagus without interfering with mom inside.
Researchers, with the UCL University of Ljubljana, Slovenia, did so by inserting a small tube, so they could measure the smell without taking physical patterns.
Mrs. Bembibre explained that heritage scientists are always trying to find “undeser” ways of discovering new information.
Visitors who smell the scents in museums will be able to experience the ancient Egypt and the mummification process from a completely different perspective.
Ally Louks, supervisor of English literature at the University of Cambridge who wrote a doctorate on the fragrance policyHe described it as a “really innovative” way of communicating history.
“We know that scents were key to social, religious and personal practices [in ancient Egypt]”She told the BBC.
For visitors, the possibility of experience in them, “you produce a strong emotional and physical reaction” otherwise you cannot get from the Museum, said Dr. Louks.
Matija Strlič, another member of the study team, said Associated Press that scents can even suggest that mom of social class A.
“We believe that this approach is potentially of great interest in other types of museum collections,” he said.
In addition to providing museum visitors with a new sensory insight into mummies, the discovery also represents a potential breakthrough for mummy patrons.
Researchers used a technique called a gas chromatography to separate different scents inside sarcophagus they combined to make their scent.
They discovered the scents relating to the demolition of animal fats used in the balm process, which could indicate that the body begins to fall apart.
Due to these findings, it is possible to “practically intervene” in the preservation of mummies, identifying how best to store and wrap the bodies, states in research work.
“This is useful for conservationists who care about this collection [as] We can ensure that it reaches future generations, “said Dr. Bembibre.
