Ancient Egyptians consumed an alcoholic cocktail made with psychedelic drugs and bodily fluids, reveals a study recently published in the scientific journal Scientific Reports.
Researchers analyzed chemical traces found in a 2,200-year-old ceramic cup discovered in Ancient Egypt. The container, the size of a palm, depicts the head of the deity Bes, considered the protector of women and children.
Researchers have identified traces of a fermented fruit-based alcoholic beverage, as well as psychoactive plant compounds used to induce “dream-like visions.” For an added effect, experts claim that bodily fluids such as human blood, breast milk and even vaginal and oral mucus were incorporated into the mixture.
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The drink was also flavored with honey, sesame seeds, pine nuts, licorice and grapes – ingredients that gave the mixture a blood-like appearance. However, it is believed that its consumption was moderate, with a standard dose of just 90 ml.
Davide Tanasi, study author and researcher at the University of South Florida, believes that the mixture was ingested by sick people in search of “prophetic dreams”. “At this point, we are 100% certain that psychotropic substances were used in ‘incubation rituals’ linked to the cult of Bes,” Tanasi told the newspaper Daily Mail.
The Bes cup analyzed, dating from the 2nd century BC, is part of the collection of the Tampa Museum of Art, Florida. It was reportedly found in the Fayum region, south of Cairo.
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One of the ingredients identified was Syrian rue, a plant native to the Mediterranean. Its seeds produce alkaloids such as harmine and harmaline, known to induce “dream-like visions.” These visions are often described as “oneirophrenic,” a state in which the distinction between dreams and reality is lost.
In smaller doses, Syrian rue also contains the alkaloid vasicin, which has “uterotonic” properties, potentially useful for facilitating childbirth or inducing abortion – associations that refer to the figure of Bes.
Traces of the blue lotus flower, another aquatic plant known for its psychoactive alkaloid aporphine, have also been identified. Furthermore, the analysis revealed the presence of a fermented liquid made from fruit and other ingredients such as honey or royal jelly. A compound associated with licorice was also detected.
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Traces of wheat, sesame seeds and fermentation yeast, as well as pinoleic acid, indicate the use of pine nuts in the mixture.
The most notable finding, however, was the “high presence of human proteins in the waste,” according to the study. This suggests the intentional inclusion of human fluids in the drink for ritual purposes, such as breast milk, oral or vaginal mucus, and blood.
One hypothesis for consuming this mixture would be the recreation of the “Myth of the Solar Eye”, a central event in Egyptian mythology. According to the narrative, Bes calms the bloodthirsty goddess Hathor with an alcoholic drink enriched with psychoactive plant substances.
