Study shows mummification process left preserved remains smelling sweet and woody In a nutshell Ancient Egyptian mummies emit surprisingly pleasant scents characterized by woody, spicy, and sweet notes,

After thousands of years in the afterlife you might expect to stink like a moldy old scrotum, but as it turns out, ancient Egyptian mummies are still surprisingly easy on the nose. A credit to their embalmers,

Scent was an important consideration in the mummification process that used oils, waxes and balms to preserve the body and its spirit for the afterlife. The practice was largely reserved for pharaohs and nobility and pleasant smells were associated with purity and deities while bad odors were signs of corruption and decay.