Air Clues Reveal How Ancient Egyptian Embalming Evolved Over Centuries

UK researchers used a non-destructive VOC sniffing method with GC-MS to study 35 samples from 19 mummies dating roughly from 2000 BC to AD 295, linking fats/oils, beeswax, resins, plant oils, and bitumen to evolving embalming recipes and showing volatile analysis as a rapid, minimally invasive way to date and study mummy chemistry without damaging the remains.