Preserved in Scent

by
This image features the side view of a mummified body, titled ‘Mummy and Painted Cartonnage of an Unknown Woman’, housed at the Walters Art Museum. Dating back to between 850 and 750 BC, the mummy is encased in a human-shaped covering made from layers of linen and plaster, known as cartonnage. The painted decoration is vivid and intricate, featuring a floral wreath on the wig, a broad collar, and a winged scarab beetle at the chest. Below this, the cartonnage is adorned with five registers showing protective deities, sacred symbols, and a hieroglyphic inscription. The artisanry highlights the Egyptian belief in the Ka, or life force, and the need to preserve the body as a home for this spirit after death. The background is a neutral grey, emphasizing the detailed colours and patterns of the mummification art.

In the chambers
of the ancient,
oils and waxes
thread through corridors
of stone –
spices and balms
bind soul to sand.
An alchemy of preservation
etched into the linen’s
tender hold.
Scents linger –
spicy,
woody,
sweet.
Guided by tradition’s hand
these fragrances revive
the breath of distant times,
anchoring the lives
within the silent sentinels
we know today.

This image features the side view of a mummified body, titled ‘Mummy and Painted Cartonnage of an Unknown Woman’, housed at the Walters Art Museum. Dating back to between 850 and 750 BC, the mummy is encased in a human-shaped covering made from layers of linen and plaster, known as cartonnage. The painted decoration is vivid and intricate, featuring a floral wreath on the wig, a broad collar, and a winged scarab beetle at the chest. Below this, the cartonnage is adorned with five registers showing protective deities, sacred symbols, and a hieroglyphic inscription. The artisanry highlights the Egyptian belief in the Ka, or life force, and the need to preserve the body as a home for this spirit after death. The background is a neutral grey, emphasizing the detailed colours and patterns of the mummification art.
Mummy and Painted Cartonnage of an Unknown Woman, 850-750 BC, Walters Art Museum (Image Credit: Walters Art Museum, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons).

This poem is inspired by recent research, which has found that Ancient Egyptian mummies still smell nice.

Ancient Egyptian mummification is a fascinating process, intended not just for the preservation of the body, but also of the soul for eternity. This ritual involved an intricate method of embalming that utilised various oils, waxes, and balms. Historically, most research into these mummified bodies has been carried out on collections housed in European museums. However, a new study turns the focus closer to the source – the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. The researchers aimed to discover if the scents currently emanating from these ancient bodies could still reflect the original embalming materials used thousands of years ago, and the value this might hold for understanding and preserving these collections.

This investigation employed a combination of sensory panel analyses, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-olfactometry (GC-MS-O), microbiological studies, and historical research to analyse the smells. The results revealed a variety of odours, described as ‘woody’, ‘spicy’, and ‘sweet’, which are consistent across all samples. The GC-MS-O was pivotal in distinguishing four distinct categories of volatile substances: those from original mummification materials, plant oils used in later conservation efforts, synthetic pesticides, and by-products of microbial deterioration. The research highlighted the complexities of pinpointing the exact origins of these smells, especially due to the use of modern insect repellents that share similar compositions with ancient embalming substances. Significantly, the study identified clusters of chemical and olfactory profiles that correlate with specific archaeological periods and conservation treatments, offering new insights into the materiality and historical contexts of these mummies.

Discover more from The Poetry of Science

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

1 thought on “Preserved in Scent”

  1. Thanks for a sweet-smelling poem Sam!
    And incredible that these fragrances should linger
    after all these years
    and still smell, woody, spicy and sweet.
    Suzanne

    Reply

Leave a Comment