Researchers from University College London (UCL) in the UK and the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia have discovered that Ancient Egyptian mummies unexpectedly “smell good.” Examinations on nine mummies displayed at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, dating back 5,000 years, revealed that ancient mummies emit “woody,” “spicy,” and “sweet” scents.
Researchers from the UK and Slovenia unexpectedly found that Ancient Egyptian mummies emit pleasant scents. Cecilia Bembibre, Research Director at UCL Institute for Sustainable Heritage, stated, “There is a general perception from movies and books that mummies have a bad smell. However, our analysis shows that mummies actually have pleasant scents.” Examinations on nine mummies displayed at the Egyptian Museum, involving the collection of scent samples using tiny tubes and pumps, led to the identification of “woody,” “spicy,” and “sweet” scents in the mummies. The research revealed that the scented oils and waxes used in the mummification process still contribute to these pleasant smells, but over time, some unpleasant odors also develop due to the breakdown of compounds. The study also detected faint notes of cheese, vomit, and urine, resulting from the degradation of compounds. The findings were published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.