Ancient Egyptian mummies smell “spicy” and “sweet”, study finds
Even After 5,000 Years in a Sarcophagus, Mummified Bodies from Ancient Egypt Still Snell Quite Nice, Scientists Have Discovered. They Say Recreating The Composition of the Smells Chemically Will Allow Other Others to Experience a Mummy’s Whiff – and Help to TELL WHEN THE BODIES INSIDE MAY BE STARTING TO ROT. Ancient Egyptian Mummies Smell
“We Want to Share the Experience We Had Smelling The Mummified Bodies, So We’re Reconstructing The Smell to Be Present in the Egypti Museum in Caeko,” Cecilia Bembre, TV During the Mummification Process, Ancient EgyPTians Would Surround The Body with Pleasant Smells AS An Important Part of Preparing A Spirit to Entertlife.
As a Result, Pharaohs and Members of the Nobility
Were Adorned with Oils, Waxes and Balms During the Mummification Process. “In Films and Books, Terrible Things Happen to Those Smell Mummified Bodies,” Said Ms Bembibre Said. “We Were Surprised at the pleasantness of them.” The Authors of the Academic Study, Publatized in the Journal of the American Chemical Society on Thursday, Had to get the Smell from Inside the Sarcophagus with. Ancient Egyptian Mummies Smell
The Researchers, from Ucl and the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia, did So by by insert a tiny tube soy were able Measure the scent with taking any Physical Samples. MS Bembibre Explained That Heritage Scientists Are Always Trying To Find “Non-Destructive” Ways to Discover New Information.
Visitors Who Smell The Scents in the Museums Will Be Able To Experience Ancient Egypt and the Mummification Process From A Totally Different Perspective. Ally Louks, An English Literate Supervisor at the University of Cambridge Who Wrote Her Phd Thesis on the Politics of Smelldescribed this as a “Really Innovative” Way to Communicate History. “We Know Smells Were Essential to Social, Religious and Personal Practises [in ancient Egypt]”She Told the BBC. For Visitors, Being Able To Experience a Smell Inside Them, “Produces A Strong Emotion and Physical Reaction” You Cannot Otherwise Get From A Museum, DR Louks Said.
Matija Strlič, Another Member of the Study Team, Told the Associated Press the Scents May Even Suggest What Social Class a Mummy Was From.
“We Believe This Approach Is Potentially of Huge Interest to Other Types of Museum Collections,” He Said.
As Well as Providing Museum-Goers with New Sensory Insight Into Mummies, The Discovery Also Presents a Potential Breakthrough for Mummy Conservationists.
The Researchers used a Technique Called Gas Chromatography to Separate the Different Smells Inside The Sarcophagus That Combined to make Its Scent.
They Found Odours Relating to the Break-Down of Animal Fats used in the Embalming Process, Which Council The Body is Beginning to Decompos.
Because of these findings, it will be posible to “practically integene” in the conservation of the mummies, Identifying How to Store and Wrap the Bodies, The Research Paper Said.
“This is Useful for Conservators Who Care For This Collection [as] We Can Ensure It Reaches Future Generations, “Dr Bembibre Said.
