Chemical characterization of embalming materials of four ibis mummies from the Musée des Confluences, Lyon

•Chemical characterization of embalming agents from four ibis votive mummies.•Observation of a mixture of plant oils and/or animal fats, conifer resins and beeswax.•Possible use of siccative or semi-siccative plant oil during preparation of balms.•Determination of a high-temperature pre-application processing of the resinous matter.•New comparative dataset for analysis of votive ibis mummies. The aim of this research work is to determine the chemical composition of the organic matter present in balms and impregnated textiles used for mummification of animals as well as to obtain information about the natural substances used and their alteration and/or degradation processes. Due to the sophisticated and heterogeneous nature of organic materials used in ancient Egyptian mummification a dual analytical approach, consisting of spectroscopic (FT-IR) and chromatographic (GC–MS) techniques, was applied. Four balms from votive ibis mummies belonging to the Egyptology collection of the Musée des Confluences in Lyon (France) were studied. Several substances have been characterized such as fatty matter like castor oil, beeswax and wood tar of a diterpenic resin belonging to the Pinaceae family. The obtained results were compared to those described in the literature.