A team has carried out a new study, with the help of both human noses and scientific tools, to work out how a group of mummies smell today.

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.

Ancient Egyptian mummified bodies preserved for 5,000 years smell “woody”, “spicy” and “sweet”, according to scientists who used their own senses and electronic noses to examine them. Human “sniffers” were recited to describe the scent in terms of quality, intensity and pleasantness.