Specialists of the laboratory of natural science methods in the humanities of the Kurchatov Institute Research Center (SIC) determined the composition of the “balm” for hair, which treated Egyptian hair during mummification. The article devoted to the study was published in the Journal of Analytical Chemistry. The discovery was made as part of a comprehensive study of mummies provided by the State Museum of Fine Arts. A.S. Pushkin.

Artificial mummification

In ancient Egypt, the mummification of the departed began in the Neolithic era. Necropolis was located in the desert on the outskirts of the settlements. The bodies of the dead were placed in shallow pits in the fetal position. It was believed that in this way the deceased are prepared for the second birth. The bodies were gradually dried in the sand and well preserved.

However, rather early along with this natural way, artificial mummification, available to the elite of Ancient Egypt, arose. Embalming the bodies of noble residents was considered a real art. Specially trained masters conducted this complex and time-consuming rite, using expensive materials.

  • Mummification in Ancient Egypt
  • globallookpress.com
  • © Mary Evans Picture Library

Ekaterina Yatsishina, deputy director of the SIC and head of the laboratory, said in an interview with RT that the ancient Egyptian sources describing the mummification procedure had not actually survived.

“It is possible to document this sacred process was prohibited. Therefore, in our days, in the course of researching each specific mummy, new results can be obtained, ”she noted.

Quality of work

After several millennia, the embalmed hair of the ancient Egyptians was preserved in very good condition.

  • Mummified heads of the ancient Egyptians
  • © NRC "Kurchatov Institute"

Victor Pozhidaev, a senior researcher at the Department of Biotechnology and Bioenergy at the Kurchatov Complex of NBICS-Nature-Like Technologies, told RT that the specialists were so surprised by the quality of the work of the ancient masters that they decided to study the composition of the applied means.

“We investigated three ancient Egyptian mummies from the collection of the Pushkin Museum, dating back to the 1st millennium BC. It is amazing that their hair turned out to be relatively long and carefully arranged, curl to curl. We had the idea that special embalming compositions were used for their processing, and we decided to find out their recipe, ”the expert emphasized.

Scientists have concluded that many organic substances that were part of the "balms" of the ancient Egyptians, for thousands of years, decayed, forming a number of other products. All components were able to be divided into individual compounds by chromatography, after which each substance was identified using a mass spectrometric detector. The results of the analysis indicated the presence of animal fat, castor oil and beeswax.

“The ancient Egyptians ate fish and meat. In the tombs of the New Kingdom (1580-1090 BC - RT ) images of herds of animals, often bulls, which were sent for slaughter, are often found. Beef tallow could be used to make embalming compositions. This is confirmed by the results of gas chromatography, ”Pozhidaev noted.

In the “balm” scientists found acids that are predominant in the composition of pine resin. Experts came to the conclusion that the Egyptians received it during the dry distillation of wood. Also in the composition of the curls of the investigated mummies was discovered aromatic pistachio tree oil. The researchers found that the means for embalming hair are noticeably different from the previously identified compositions for mummification of bodies.