Scientists have developed new methods to recreate the perfumes used during the mummification of ancient Egyptian mummies, in a move that could transform future museum experiences by engaging visitors' senses more fully.
Advances in archaeological techniques have opened new horizons for the study of DNA, proteins, and other molecules from ancient times, allowing for a deeper understanding of diets, diseases, and ritual practices in bygone civilizations.
In this context, scientists have developed sophisticated tools to study a class of molecules known as volatile organic compounds, which hold the secrets of perfumes that were popular in the past.
Scientists from the Max Planck Institute in Germany assert that recreating these ancient compounds could open an unprecedented window into the world of perfumes, medicine, rituals, and everyday life in bygone eras.
“Biomolecular data provide us with key clues, but the real challenge lies in translating this chemical information into a complete olfactory experience that captures the complexity and detail of the original material, rather than simply reproducing its individual components,” explains chemical archaeologist Barbara Huber from the University of Tübingen.
“This research represents an important shift in how scientific findings are shared and made accessible to the public, away from traditional academic reporting,” adds Hooper, lead author of a recent study published in the journal Frontiers in Environmental Archaeology.
The study focuses on creating two new museum pieces, "scented cards" and "fixed perfume stations," which are displayed alongside Egyptian mummies, adding a new sensory dimension that helps to understand the ancient mummification process more comprehensively.
The scented cards are currently being distributed to visitors during the "Scent of the Afterlife" tour at the August Kestner Museum in Hanover, Germany.
The reconstituted scents were extracted from the remains of aromatic and preservative materials found inside four canopic jars (sacred vessels used in the mummification process to preserve the internal organs of the deceased) belonging to Lady Senentay, a high-ranking noblewoman who lived around 1450 BC.
To recreate these ancient perfumes, a research team consisting of a perfumer, a chemical archaeologist, an archaeologist, and an olfactory heritage consultant conducted a series of multidisciplinary discussions, and ended up developing several formulations, each containing 20 ingredients.
The scientists explain: "Since the substances identified by the chemical analysis of the original preservative date back to ancient times, we had to look for modern aromatic alternatives that match the biomolecular results and are safe for general use at the same time."
This project highlights the fact that the raw materials used today are different from their ancient counterparts, which underscores the need for collaboration between diverse disciplines to restore the past as accurately as possible.
Scented cards are made by applying aromatic materials to paper or other surfaces capable of diffusing the scent, and visitors can carry, examine, and smell them smoothly during their museum experience.
“Scent offers a new approach to understanding mummification, away from the terrifying stereotype perpetuated by films, and towards a deeper appreciation of the motivations behind these practices and the results they were intended to achieve,” say August Kestner Museum curators Christian E. Lubin and Ulrike Dobell.
