At first it sounds repulsive: sniff the essence ancient corpse.
But the researchers who gave their curiosity in the name of science found that well preserved Egyptian mummies In fact it smells pretty good.
“In films and books, scary things happen to those who smell like mummified bodies,” said Cecilia Bembbre, director of the scientific research of the University College of the London Institute of Sustainable Heritage. “We were surprised by their pleasantness.”
“Woody”, “sharp” and “sweet” were the leading descriptions of what more tasting the wine sounded than the mummy exercise. Floral notes were also discovered, which can be of pine and juniper used in the balm.
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A study published on Thursday in the magazine of the American Chemical Society used both a chemical analysis and a panel of human sniffles to evaluate the smells of nine mummies, which were both in the storage room or were shown at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.
Researchers wanted to systematically study the smell mummy Since it has long been a subject of admiration for both the public and the researchers, Bembrabre said, one of the authors of the report. Archaeologists, historians, conservatives and even writers dedicated the pages of their work – not for nothing – for a good reason.
The smell was important in the process of mummification, which used alleys, waxes and balms to preserve the body and its spirit for the afterlife. Practice has been largely reserved for Pharaohs and nobility. Pleasant smells were associated with purity and deities, while the bad smells were signs of corruption and decay.
Without selection of samples Mummy themselvesWhat would be invasive, researchers from UCL and the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia were able to measure whether flavors from archaeological objects, pesticides or other products used to preserve residues, or from deterioration from mold, bacteria or microorganisms.
Abdelrazek Elnar / AP
“We were very concerned that we could find notes or hints at the breaking bodies that were not so,” said Matthew Strylich, a chemistry professor at Ljubljana University. “We specifically experienced that there could be signs of microbe degradation, but it was not the case, which means that the environment in this museum is actually very good in terms of preservation.”
Using technical tools for measuring and quantitative assessment of air molecules that are thrown out of the sarcophagus to determine the state of preservation without Touching mummies He looked like the Holy Grail, Strylich said.
“It tells us the potential from which social class” Mom “, and therefore reveals a lot of information about the mummified body not only for conservatives but also to curators and archaeologists,” he said. “We believe that this approach potentially is of great interest in other types of museum collections.”
Barbara Huber, Doctor at the Max Planka Institute of Geoanthropology in Germany, which did not participate in the study, said the data provides important data on the compounds that could Save or degrade mummified residues. Information can be used to better protect the ancient bodies for the next generations.
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“However, the study also emphasizes the key problem: the smells revealed today are not necessarily those who have since mummification,” Huber said. “In thousands of years evaporation, oxidation and even storage conditions have significantly changed the original fragrance profile.”
Two years ago, Huber was the author of the study, which analyzed the remnants of the jar, which contained the mummified organs of the noble woman to discover balsamic ingredients, their origins and what they revealed about the trade routes. She then worked with the perfumer to create an interpretation of the balm smell, known as the “smell of eternity”, for the Mosgoard Museum in Denmark.
Researchers of the current study hope to do something similar, using their conclusions to develop “smells” for the artificial reproduction of the fragrances they have discovered and increase the experience of future museums.
“The museums were called white cubes, where you are offered to read, see, approach your eyes from afar,” Bembre said. “Observation of the Mummified World.”