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'Scent of Eternity' Used in Ancient Egyptian Mummification Recreated

Sarcophagi found in a cache dating to the Egyptian Late Period (around the fifth century B.C.) are displayed after their discovery by a mission headed by Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, at the Bubastian cemetery at the Saqqara necropolis, Cairo, Egypt, May 30, 2022. (AFP Photo)
Sarcophagi found in a cache dating to the Egyptian Late Period (around the fifth century B.C.) are displayed after their discovery by a mission headed by Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, at the Bubastian cemetery at the Saqqara necropolis, Cairo, Egypt, May 30, 2022. (AFP Photo)
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'Scent of Eternity' Used in Ancient Egyptian Mummification Recreated

Sarcophagi found in a cache dating to the Egyptian Late Period (around the fifth century B.C.) are displayed after their discovery by a mission headed by Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, at the Bubastian cemetery at the Saqqara necropolis, Cairo, Egypt, May 30, 2022. (AFP Photo)
Sarcophagi found in a cache dating to the Egyptian Late Period (around the fifth century B.C.) are displayed after their discovery by a mission headed by Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, at the Bubastian cemetery at the Saqqara necropolis, Cairo, Egypt, May 30, 2022. (AFP Photo)

Researchers have recreated what they're describing as the "scent of eternity" once deemed fit for an Ancient Egyptian noblewoman.

Beeswax, plant oil, and tree resin were among the ingredients that made up the aroma more than 3,500 years ago, which was used during the mummification of a woman named Senetnay, according to Sky News.

Fast-forward from 1450 BCE to 2023, and the unique smell has been developed again using advanced analytical techniques that can separate chemicals and identify what they're created from.

In this case, a team analyzed balm residues found in two jars used during the mummification of Senetnay.

They were excavated from a tomb in Egypt's Valley of the Kings more than a century ago, and are now housed in Germany's August Kestner Museum.

The balms were found to have been made using a blend of beeswax, plant oil, fats, bitumen, a balsamic substance, and several resins.

Egyptologist Christian Loeben, a curator at the museum, said the work offered not just an understanding of the "sophisticated mummification process", but the ancient civilization’s trade routes.

'Key member of pharaoh's inner circle'

Professor Nicole Boivin, senior researcher on the project, said: "The ingredients in the balm make it clear that the ancient Egyptians were sourcing materials from beyond their realm from an early date. The number of imported ingredients in her balm also highlights Senetnay's importance as a key member of the pharaoh's inner circle."

French perfumer Carole Calvez worked with the researchers to recreate the scent, which will be presented at Denmark's Moesgaard Museum.

The team, led by Barbara Huber, said they hoped it will provide an "immersive, multisensory experience" to visitors, bringing the mystique of Ancient Egyptian mummification to the modern day

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KAUST: Unexpected Ecosystem Found Deep Below Red Sea Coral Reef

Located in Difat Farasan, also known as the Farasan Bank near the border between Saudi Arabia and Yemen, the deep waters were found to be inhabited by corals, fish, and other marine life not typically expected to survive in environments with such low oxygen and high acidity. (SPA)
Located in Difat Farasan, also known as the Farasan Bank near the border between Saudi Arabia and Yemen, the deep waters were found to be inhabited by corals, fish, and other marine life not typically expected to survive in environments with such low oxygen and high acidity. (SPA)
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KAUST: Unexpected Ecosystem Found Deep Below Red Sea Coral Reef

Located in Difat Farasan, also known as the Farasan Bank near the border between Saudi Arabia and Yemen, the deep waters were found to be inhabited by corals, fish, and other marine life not typically expected to survive in environments with such low oxygen and high acidity. (SPA)
Located in Difat Farasan, also known as the Farasan Bank near the border between Saudi Arabia and Yemen, the deep waters were found to be inhabited by corals, fish, and other marine life not typically expected to survive in environments with such low oxygen and high acidity. (SPA)

Scientists from Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) and the National Center for Wildlife (NCW) have reported the discovery of an unusual ecosystem beneath the world’s third-largest coral reef system—and the largest in the Red Sea.

Located in Difat Farasan, also known as the Farasan Bank near the border between Saudi Arabia and Yemen, the deep waters were found to be inhabited by corals, fish, and other marine life not typically expected to survive in environments with such low oxygen and high acidity.

According to a statement by KAUST, several of the species displayed unexpected coping strategies in the extreme conditions. Fish exhibited slower swimming patterns, and corals remained healthy despite environmental factors that would normally inhibit the calcification process essential for coral growth and survival.

KAUST Research Scientist Dr. Shannon Klein, who led the study, said: “The ability for these animals to live in warm, oxygen-depleted zones suggests they have an unusual ability to reduce how much oxygen they use to sustain life. This discovery highlights the need for greater marine exploration of deeper layers in tropical coastal areas, as they may hold unexpected ecosystems.”

“Although underwater, fish, corals, and many other sea creatures need oxygen to survive. While their bodies have evolved differently from land animals to metabolize oxygen, they too asphyxiate if oxygen levels drop dangerously low. However, in the Red Sea, there are resistant ecosystems,” Klein added.

“Considering that oxygen depletion in the sea is one consequence of rising temperatures, greater study of how these creatures exist there may help us understand how marine life can withstand the challenges of climate change. Coral reefs usually exist in shallow waters. But the study found depressions that went more than 200 meters deep throughout the Farasan Bank coral reef system,” she said.

CEO of the National Center for Wildlife and contributor to the study Dr. Mohammad Qurban stated: “This research highlights the significance of the Red Sea as a natural laboratory for studying marine resilience. Discovering ecosystems that thrive in extreme conditions expands our understanding of how marine life adapts and reinforces the need for continued exploration and conservation of these unique habitats.”