Even after 5.000 years in a sarcophagus, mummified bodies from ancient Egypt still have a pleasant scent, scientists have discovered.
Researchers who analyzed nine mummies found that despite differences in the intensity of their odors, they all had "woody," "spicy," and "sweet" aromas.
They say that reproducing the chemical content of these scents will allow others to experience the specific smell of mummies, but will also help detect the moment when the bodies in the sarcophagi begin to rot.
"We want to convey the experience we had when we smelled mummified bodies, so we are reproducing that smell so it can be presented in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, the capital of Egypt," Cecilia Bembibre, a member of the research team, told BBC Radio 4.
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During the mummification process, the ancient Egyptians surrounded the body with pleasant scents, which was an important part of preparing the spirit for entering the afterlife.
That is why during mummification, pharaohs and members of the nobility were smeared with oils, wax, and balms.
"In movies and books, terrible things happen to those who smell mummified bodies," said Dr. Bembibre.
"We were surprised at how pleasant the scents actually were."
The authors of the study, published in the weekly peer-reviewed scientific journal of the American Chemical Society Journal of the American Chemical Society On February 13th, they had to take a sample of the scent from the sarcophagus without touching the mummy inside.
To do this, researchers from University College London and the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia, inserted a tube into the sarcophagus and measured the smell without taking physical samples.
Dr Bembibre explained that cultural heritage conservation experts are always looking to find "non-invasive" methods to uncover new information.
Visitors who smell these scents in museums will have the opportunity to experience ancient Egypt and the mummification process from a completely different perspective.
Ellie Laux, a supervisor of English literature at the University of Cambridge, who did her PhD on the politics of smell, says this is a "really innovative" way of conveying history.
"Using the sense of smell elicits a strong emotional and physical response," she told the BBC.
"We know that scents were key in social, religious and personal rituals in ancient Egypt," added Dr Laux.
Matija Strlič, a member of the research team, told the American agency Associated Press (Associated Press) that scents can even indicate the social status of a mummy.
"We believe this approach could be of great importance for other types of museum collections," he said.
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In addition to providing museum visitors with a new sensory insight into mummies, this discovery also represents a possible solution for mummy conservators.
Researchers used a gas chromatography technique to separate the different odors in the sarcophagus that together form its specific scent.
They detected odors associated with the decomposition of animal fats used in the embalming process, which could indicate that the body had begun to decompose.
This knowledge will enable "practical intervention" for the preservation of mummies by establishing the best ways to store and wrap them, the research paper said.
"This is beneficial for the conservators who care for this collection, because we can ensure that it survives for future generations," said Dr Bembibre.
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