Save in the aroma – Science Poetry

In the room
Ancient
Oil and wax
Through the corridor
Stone –
Spices and balm
Tie the soul to the sand.
Save Alchemy
Etched to linen
Tender.
The smell continues –
Spicy,
Woody,
Sweet.
Guided by traditional hands
These perfumes have been restored
A distant time,
Anchor life
Among the silent sentinel
We know today.

The poem was inspired by recent research and found that ancient Egyptian mummies still smelled very fragrant.

Ancient Egyptian mummification was a fascinating process, designed not only to preserve the body, but also to make the soul eternal. The ceremony involves a complex method of using a variety of oils, waxes and balms. Historically, most of the studies on these mummies were conducted in collections in European museums. But a new study brings the focus closer to the source-the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. The researchers aim to discover that the odors currently emitted from these ancient objects can still reflect the original anticorrosion materials used thousands of years ago, and that this may have the value of understanding and preserving these collections.

The study used a combination of sensory panel analysis, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS-O), microbiological studies and historical studies to analyze odors. The results show that various odors are described as “woody”, “spicy” and “sweet”, which are consistent across all samples. GC-MS-O is crucial in distinguishing four different classes of volatile substances: vegetable oils from original mummified materials used in later conservation efforts, synthesizing pesticides and microbial reduction byproducts. The study highlights the complexity of the exact origin of these odors, especially due to the use of modern insect repellents that share similar ingredients with ancient preservatives. Notably, the study identified clusters of chemical and olfactory profiles associated with specific archaeological periods and conservation treatments, providing new insights into the materiality and historical context of these mummies.