Pollen analysis from the resin used for embalming a mummy from the Roman period of I century AC – Museu Nacional (MN/UFRJ), Brazil

Abstract

Human embalming was practiced widely by the Egyptians using resins extracted from shrubs, trees, or by the use of propolis – also known as bee’s glue. These resins that formed from terpenic derivates, retain a variety of remains: the epidermis of plants, grains of sand, pieces of coal, and grains of pollen.Pollen analyses were made on a mummy belonging to the Egyptian collection of the Museu Nacional: the “Singer of the Temple of Amon”, dated around 750 AD. This is a rare mummy from the Roman period because the limbs were buried separate from the body. We can find only seven mummies buried in this way in the European collections. Our results expand our knowledge about the use of plants which were given as offering or presented at the moment of burial, as indicated by pollen grains through the time.