Egyptian mummies, preserved with scented oils and waxes, still exhibit pleasant woody, spicy, and sweet aromas centuries later. However, they also emit faint undesirable smells reminiscent of cheese, vomit, and urine due to the breakdown of their mummification compounds. Researchers from University College London and the University of Ljubljana conducted a study where trained sniffers analyzed odours from mummies at the Cairo Museum. While stale and mouldy smells were noted, the low levels of mushroom-like scents suggest successful preservation. This indicates that ancient embalming techniques have largely withstood the test of time.
The study revealed that ancient Egyptian mummies emit aromas described as woody, spicy, and sweet, yet also include unpleasant notes due to compound breakdown.
Trained experts analyzed mummies' scents, which still retain pleasant characteristics, but they also carry hints of less desirable smells like cheese and urine.
Professor Strlič highlighted that while the original embalming materials have degraded, the mummies have surprisingly retained most of their preserved characteristics.
Despite some offputting odours, the low presence of fungi and bacteria indicates that the ancient Egyptian embalming techniques successfully preserved the bodies.
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