Analytical chemists, archaeologists aim to recreate scents in ancient Egyptian tombs

CAIRO – 5 April 2022: A team of analytical chemists and archaeologists recently attempted to reconstruct the scents of the ancient Egyptian tomb of two high-ranking individuals, chief architect Kha, and his wife Merit.

Location of Kha and Merit Tomb

The results of the study of Egyptian tomb odors were published in the journal Archaeological Science. The research team's work demonstrates how odor archeology can improve our view of the past and perhaps enhance museum visits by turning them into an immersive experience.

Kha and Merit Tomb from the outside

The tomb of Kha and Merit was discovered in 1906 in the Deir el-Medina cemetery near Luxor. It provides the most complete record of a non-royal burial in ancient Egypt. It is a rich source of information about what were considered necessary accompaniments in death for high-ranking individuals.

Kha Funerary Mask

Merit Funerary Mask

“It’s a wonderful collection,” said Ilaria Degano, an analytical chemist at the University of Pisa in Italy, who co-authored the study. “Among the things, there are examples of ancient Egyptian linen Kha underwear embroidered with his name.”

Plates of food from the tomb of Kha and Merit discovered in Deir el-Medina now Egyptian Museum in Turin

Some of the findings inside the tomb

Surprisingly, the archaeologist Ernesto Schiaparelli, who discovered the tomb, did not conduct an extensive examination of most of the artifacts. He did not open the mummies or open sealed jars and glassware containing food and other displays of the deceased couple until after the contents of the tomb had been transferred to the Egyptian Museum in Turin.

This tomb gave modern scientists the opportunity to study a valuable assemblage of non-surgical procedures unknown to science.