Even after 5,000 years in a sarcophagus, mummified bodies from ancient Egypt still smell quite nice, scientists have discovered. Researchers who examined nine mummies found that though there was some difference in the intensity of their odours,

Few visitors wandering through the mummy galleries at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo have the opportunity—or perhaps the inclination—to smell the aromas wafting off the gilded sarcophagi and elaborately wrapped bodies of ancient Egyptian elites on display in glass cases.

We know what they look like, and even sound like, but there’s one question you might not have pondered: what do ancient Egyptian mummies smell like? Whether you wanted to know or not, scientists have now given us an answer.

The research, published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, involved sniffing nine mummies, some dating back 5,000 years, housed at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. Instead of the expected repulsive odors, participants described the scents as “woody”, “spicy”, and “sweet”, with hints of floral notes.

The analysis provided new insights into the materials ancient Egyptians used for embalming, revealing how these practices evolved. It also highlighted how museums have preserved these ancient bodies, often applying modern chemicals that blend with the original scents.

Scientists used an 'electronic nose' (and good old biological sniffers) to reveal the scents of ancient mummies.

The team’s approach could inspire museums to entertain visitors with odorous features such as smellscapes. In fact, the researchers now plan to reconstruct the smell of ancient mummified bodies in order to share this nontraditional approach to studying Egyptian mummies, as well as highlight an ancient olfactory heritage.

Some of the mummies evaluated for their scents were 5,000 years old. Researchers studying well-preserved Egyptian mummies discovered that they smell good. The team was studying nine mummies, some 5,000 years old, that were either in storage or on display at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.

This new data offers clues about the materials used in mummification and how practices and ingredients evolved.

At first whiff, it sounds repulsive: sniff the essence of an ancient corpse. But researchers who indulged their curiosity in the name of science found that well-preserved Egyptian mummies actually smell pretty good.