Emma Paolin
A new research analyzed the smell of ancient Egyptian mummies and found that several had a much more pleasant odor than expected.
A team of researchers explored a new method for analyzing old Egyptian mummies – studying their smell. Using human noses and scientific instruments, the team discovered the complex aromas of mummies And in doing so, he revealed knowledge about the materials and processes that shaped his preservation.
A, published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, focused on nine mummies housed at the Egyptian Museum of Cairo. These mummies, dating from the new kingdom (about 1500 BC) to the Roman period (500 AD), were subjected to unusual analysis: their smell.
The objective of the study was not only Understand the preservation techniquesbut also check if the smell could offer a noninvasive way to evaluate the state of these old remains, explains the.
Usually, to understand mummies’ preservation it is necessary to collect physical samples, which can damage fragile artifacts. However, as Prof. Matija Strlič, co -author of the University of Liubliana and University College London (UCL) study, the use of odor can provide an innovative and less invasive approach. “Not touching an object and analyzing it is really the Holy Grail for Scientists of heritage, ”he said.
The team also saw the potential of their findings to help conservatives of museums. “Another motivation,” added Strlič, “is to provide curators synthetic smell of mummy that can be used to involve the public in exhibitions. ”
The investigators extracted the air around the mummies Using small tubes and pumps. Eight trained experts then evaluated the smell of each sample. Evaluated the intensity of 13 distinct aromas, finding that, although the smells were several, most of the mummies were considered to have pleasant odors.
Seven of the mummies were identified as having a “woody” aroma, six had a “spicy” component, five released a “sweet” smell And three had “incense” notes. However, some mummies emitted more unpleasant odors, such as smells of “rancidity”, and even mold notes.
In addition to sensory evaluation, the team used advanced gas chromatography, mass spectrometry and olfactometry to isolate volatile compounds in air samples. These individual compounds were also evaluated by Trained sniflayswhich allowed a deeper understanding of the sources of these odors.
The analysis revealed that the primary sources of these odors were four: materials used during the mummification process, microbes, pesticides and synthetic repellents and vegetable oils used for conservation purposes. Interestingly, there was no clear correlation between the age of mummies or the quality of their preservation and the odors they emitted.
Although the results of the study are innovative, researchers also point out some challenges. Vegetable oils used in conservation have characteristics similar to those used in mummification, which makes the distinction difficult between the two.
In the future, Strlič suggested that the study of mummies that have not undergone conservation treatments would provide more information on how mummification quality affects its aroma.
Cecilia Bebibre, co-author of the study and one of the people who sniff the mummies, expressed the emotional meaning of the research. “Only the idea that we can lean our nose to that small tube and smell a 3500 -year -old body of history… and then smell something as familiar as tea – It was incredibly surprising“, These.
