The field study showed a delay in the colonisation of necrophagous insects and a temporal shift in the families of insects present on the carcasses treated with pine resin compared to control carcasses (no pine resin). Results demonstrated that palm wine and natron had higher antibacterial activity than Chlorophemical against the Gram-positive bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus, and that natron had higher antibacterial activity than Chloramphenicol against the Gram-negative bacteria, Escherichia coli. In addition, a field study using rabbit carcasses investigated whether pine resin has insect repellent properties. Antibacterial assays were used to compare the activity of a modern day antibiotic (Chloramphenicol) to those of key embalming ingredients used in ancient Egypt (natron, palm wine and pine resin). This study investigated the properties of ancient Egyptian embalming fluids alongside their application in an artificial mummification of a human body at the Medico-legal Centre in Sheffield, UK. In particular, we are aware of no studies investigating the antibacterial activity of natron nor the wider investigation of the insect repellent nature of ancient Egyptian mummification resins.
Previous work indicates that it does not deter insect colonisation in general, although it has been found to act as a killing agent of blow flies. Natron is a natural mixture of sodium chloride, sodium sulphate, sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate found in the Nile Delta which has significant desiccation properties, but it is currently unclear if natron has further beneficial properties for the mummification process. It is widely believed that natron was the main desiccation agent in the preparation of Egyptian mummified bodies in the 18th Dynasty. In order to preserve the deceased in as lifelike condition as possible they developed artificial mummification to a high level of sophistication. The ancient Egyptians believed in an afterlife where the body of a dead person would be needed by the spirit.
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