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.

Even around 5,000 years after their embalming, Strlič and collaborators described the bodies as smelling “pleasant.” This is largely thanks to the materials applied to the mummies, which included scented waxes, coniferous resins and oils made from pine, cedar, and juniper, as well as gum resins such as frankincense and myrrh.

Scientists studied the scents of ancient Egyptian mummies, revealing embalming materials and conservation effects.

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.

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.

For decades, scientists have been performing every imaginable test to uncover how ancient Egyptian mummies were embalmed, what materials were used, why they stay so well preserved for so long, and more.