Researchers have examined the aroma of ancient Egyptian mummies to understand their preservation without physical sampling. By analyzing nine mummies from the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, they identified pleasing scents of woody, spicy, and sweet notes, alongside some unpleasant odors like stale or moldy smells. This research could help curators create synthetic mummy scents for educational engagement, marking a non-invasive method to assess the state of preservation. Led by Prof Matija Strlic, the findings aim to enhance heritage science and public interaction with historical artifacts.
From the viewpoint of the heritage scientists working with historic materials, not touching an object and analysing it is really like [the] holy grail, said Prof Matija Strlic.
The other motivation to do this research is to provide curators with a synthetic mummy smell that they can then use to engage audiences.
The aromas varied between the mummies, but they were generally judged to smell pleasant, with woody, spicy, and sweet components identified.
This research aims to use smell analytics as a non-invasive method for assessing the preservation state of ancient Egyptian mummies.
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