The distinct aroma associated with ancient Egyptian mummies, familiar only to those who have been in close proximity, has now been scientifically captured. Researchers have successfully analyzed these latent vapors, seeking to uncover insights into the ancient embalming methodologies.
Traditionally, archaeological investigations of mummies involve a more intrusive methodology, necessitating the excision of a section of wrapping material for dissolution to ascertain the molecular composition of the preservation agents.
However, this approach is inherently detrimental to the artifacts. In some instances, the delicate molecules degrade during the analytical process. Furthermore, there is a finite limit to the amount of bandage material that can be extracted before the integrity of the entire mummy is compromised.
In lieu of such methods, a cohort of organic geochemists from the University of Bristol conceived of a novel approach: sampling the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) present in the ambient atmosphere surrounding the mummies. VOCs are characterized by their propensity to readily ascend from their source, dispersing into the air and reaching olfactory receptors with their unique scent signatures.
“The significance of scent in Egyptian mythology and the perception of the afterlife was profound,” the research collective elucidated in their published findings.
“The employment of spices during the embalming process would have been advantageous due to their potent aromatic qualities, effectively masking the unpleasant effluvia associated with mortality. Additionally, the aromatic constituents of the preservation materials served as a deterrent against vermin and microbial proliferation affecting the desiccated remains.”
As early as 2025, scientific personnel had already conducted olfactory assessments of nine mummified specimens housed at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, characterizing their olfactory profiles as “woody,” “spicy,” and “sweet.”
The University of Bristol contingent aimed to advance this research by establishing a direct correlative link between these historical olfactory signatures and the specific organic embalming agents responsible for their emanation. In this endeavor, their investigative instrument was a molecular analysis device.
An examination was undertaken of 35 physical specimens—comprising diminutive fragments of resin, bandages, and human tissue—sourced from 19 mummies. These individuals, presumed to hold positions of considerable importance, date from approximately 2000 BC to 295 AD, encompassing nearly the entirety of the ancient Egyptian era characterized by mummification practices. All collected samples originated from mummies curated in European and United Kingdom institutions.
In 2006, partial analyses of these samples were performed utilizing the dissolution technique. This provided the Bristol research group with a comparative framework to validate their ‘olfactory’ methodology and to ascertain any supplementary insights it could furnish.
Each mummy fragment was placed within a sealed chamber to permit the release of any residual volatile organic compounds that may have persevered through the millennia. The entrapped gaseous emissions were subsequently subjected to analysis employing gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. These sophisticated analytical procedures serve to isolate and identify specific molecular entities within the sample, thereby revealing the constituent fats, waxes, and resins incorporated into the embalming formulations.
The predominant components identified were typically fats and oils, beeswax, botanical resins, and bitumen. However, the investigation also brought to light that these preservation methodologies underwent evolution over time.
During the early stages of mummification, ancient Egyptians utilized comparatively rudimentary formulations of fats and oils. As civilization progressed, these recipes became more elaborate, incorporating higher-value materials such as resins or oils derived from arboreal sources like pine, juniper, and cedar, in addition to bitumen.
“Distinct volatile profiles are observable across mummies from differing historical epochs, suggesting that the analysis of volatiles could function as a minimally invasive instrument for discerning the chronological sequencing of mummies,” the study’s authors observed.
“Consequently, VOC analysis presents itself as an expeditious, non-destructive, preliminary screening methodology capable of yielding valuable analytical data without jeopardizing the intactness of the sample, or alternatively, for directing subsequent, more intricate and time-intensive analytical investigations.”
