Have you ever wondered how mummies smell? A team of researchers from England provided this question. The answers specially trained, human “sniffer:” Woody “, followed by” spicy “and” sweet “,” rancid “or” spoiled “.
A research group around Emma Paolin from University College London (UCL) and the University of Ljubljana investigated for the first time the typical scents of embalmed body, as reported in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.
For this goal, the team of nine mummies from the Egyptian museum in Cairo – which usually comes from the 1st and 2nd millennium BC – has been analyzed with different methods.
Human “Sniffer” in action
Among other things, specially trained human “pinches” that smell with a view of how intense and pleasant they were. The most common odor figures were “woody”, followed by “spicy” and “sweet”, but some fumes from the mummies were also classified as “resentment” or “spoiled”.
In addition, the molecules and connections involved were measured by analyzing gas chromatography and mass spectrometry techniques. The team was also able to determine whether these components come from preservatives, micro -organisms or pesticides.
In general, in ancient Egypt, corpses were once prepared with oils and resins by pines, cedar and juniper to preserve body and soul in the hereafter.
Source: Krone
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