Scientists unlock secrets of ancient Egyptian materials with proteomics

Mass spectrometry-based proteomics is a relative newcomer to the field and is capable of providing a thorough and very detailed characterization of any protein residues present in a given sample, as well as any accumulated damage. The technique is so sensitive that less sample material is needed compared to other methods. And unlike, say, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, it’s also capable of characterizing all proteins present in a sample (regardless of the complexity of the mixture), rather than being narrowly targeted to predefined proteins. The team also detected the presence of distinctive seed proteins from sesame and moringa, both of which were common at the time in ancient Egypt; the oils extracted from those seeds were high quality and hence used for cooking, medicine, insect repellant, cosmetics, and mummification. Sesame proteins were found in a red sample from a coffin fragment and a tomb wall painting fragment, and moringa proteins were detected on a coffin sample. It’s possible they were residual byproducts of the seed processing, but more research combining complementary techniques is needed to better define how (and why) sesame and moringa may have been used. One possible clue lies in the fact that the moringa tree in particular held a special symbolic significance to ancient Egyptians. It was considered a manifestation of the god Ptah, believed to be the patron of craftsmen, and finding traces on a coffin corroborates this connection. “We clearly show that moringa is the precious source of the material the artisan needs to accomplish their creation,” the authors concluded. “Alternatively, the use of moringa could represent a possible action taken by the artist to devote or safeguard the final product of their craftsmanship and creativity.” Science Advances, 2026. DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ady3618 (About DOIs).