In an innovative endeavor to create a sensory bridge to the ancient past, a team of researchers led by Barbara Huber of the MPI of Geoanthropology has recreated one of the scents used in the mummification of an important Egyptian woman more than 3,500 years ago.
Coined"the scent of the eternity," the ancient aroma will be presented at the Moesgaard Museum in Denmark in an upcoming exhibition, offering visitors a unique sensory experience to encounter firsthand an ambient smell from antiquity—and catch a whiff of the ancient Egyptian process ofThe team's research centered on the mummification substances used to embalm the noble lady Senetnay in the 18th dynasty, circa 1450 BCE.
"These complex and diverse ingredients, unique to this early time period, offer a novel understanding of the sophisticated mummification practices and Egypt's far-reaching trade-routes," says Christian E. Loeben, Egyptologist and curator at the Museum August Kestner. The work also highlights the trade connections of the Egyptians in the 2nd millennium BCE."The ingredients in the balm make it clear that the ancient Egyptians were sourcing materials from beyond their realm from an early date," says Prof. Nicole Boivin, senior researcher on the project."The number of imported ingredients in her balm also highlights Senetnay's importance as a key member of the pharaoh's inner circle.
"'The scent of eternity' represents more than just the aroma of the mummification process," notes Huber."It embodies the rich cultural, historical, and spiritual significance of Ancient Egyptian mortuary practices."
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