Smell like an Egyptian: researchers sniff ancient mummies to study preservation

Scientists hope that smell could be a non-invasive way to judge how well-preserved a mummy is

Spicy, woody and sweet: it sounds like a description of a fancy air freshener. But researchers say the mix of aromas arise from something rather different: mummies.

Researchers have used both human noses and scientific instruments to probe how ancient Egyptian mummies smell today, and to what extent the odours reflect the materials used during the mummification process.