🎙️ Voice is AI-generated. Inconsistencies may occur.
A mysterious ancient Egyptian "mug" was once used to drink a mind-bending cocktail of alcohol, bodily fluids and psychedelic substances, a study has revealed—the first time use of psychoactives in rituals during this period has been directly confirmed by physical evidence.
Researchers conducted an advanced chemical analysis of the artifact—tentatively dated to the 2nd century B.C.—and found that it contained traces of various fascinating ingredients.
These indicated a "complex liquid concoction" containing psychoactive and medicinal compounds, fermented liquids, human blood and other secretions, as well as various flavorings.
In light of the findings, the authors of the study, in Scientific Reports, believe that the mug may have been used in psychedelic rituals—possibly linked to fertility.
"This is the first time scientific evidence has directly confirmed the use of psychedelics in ancient Egyptian rituals," study lead author Enrico Greco, with the Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Trieste, Italy, told Newsweek.
"While there have been previous hypotheses based on iconography or texts, this study provides physical evidence of the deliberate use of psychotropic substances in ceremonial practice."
The artifact in question is an Egyptian Bes mug—a class of vessel that has been found in a variety of contexts over a long period of time. These mugs are decorated with the head of Bes, "one of the most fascinating and wildly popular figures of ancient Egyptian religion," the study authors wrote.
A protector deity linked to joy, fertility and household well-being, his role expanded during the Ptolemaic period (around 330-30 B.C.) to include "oracular and mystical" functions, Greco said.
"The Bes mugs, often found with limited contextual information, have long intrigued researchers as their exact purpose remained mysterious. This study provided a unique opportunity to explore their use and significance through cutting-edge scientific techniques," Greco said.
While a number of hypotheses regarding the use of the mugs have previously been proposed, based on iconographic sources or myths of ancient Egyptian rituals, few of them have ever undergone testing for traces of organic materials to reveal what they once contained.
"For a very long time now, Egyptologists have been speculating what mugs with the head of Bes could have been used for, and for what kind of beverage, like sacred water, milk, wine or beer," study author Branko van Oppen, curator of Greek and Roman art at the Tampa Museum of Art, or TMA, said in a press release.
"Experts did not know if these mugs were used in daily life, for religious purposes or in magic rituals."
The previously unpublished Bes mug in this study was identified in the collection of the TMA, to which it had been donated in 1984. It was said to have been found originally in Egypt's Fayum district, which is about 60 miles southwest of Cairo, the researchers wrote.
For the study, the authors conducted chemical and DNA analyses on a sample scraped from the inner wall of the mug, revealing what the vessel last held.
"This is the first comprehensive scientific analysis of a Bes mug's organic residues," Greco said. "Previous studies speculated on the contents of these vessels, but they lacked direct evidence. This study is groundbreaking in uncovering the actual substances used and their ritual significance."
The team successfully identified the presence of various compounds, revealing a liquid concoction that was seemingly used for ritual practices in Ptolemaic Egypt.
"There's no research out there that has ever found what we found in this study," study first author Davide Tanasi, with the Department of History at the University of South Florida, said in a press release. "For the first time, we were able to identify all the chemical signatures of the components of the liquid concoction contained in the Tampa Museum of Art's Bes mug, including the plants used by Egyptians, all of which have psychotropic and medicinal properties."
'Spiritual Transformation'
Among the organic residues detected were traces of the plant Peganum harmala, commonly known as harmel or Syrian rue. This is a medicinal and psychoactive plant, the seeds of which produce high quantities of the alkaloids harmine and harmaline that can induce dream-like visions.
The analysis also detected traces of another psychoactive plant, the blue water lily, which contains aporphine—an alkaloid associated with mild sedative and euphoric effects.
"The identified substances would likely have induced dream-like visions, heightened meditative states and possibly euphoria," Greco said. "These effects would have been ideal for rituals involving prophecy or spiritual transformation."
"These substances reveal the sophistication of ancient Egyptian ritual practices," he added. "Their use highlights a deliberate attempt to connect with the divine through physical and spiritual transformation.
"It also underscores the Egyptians' advanced understanding of natural resources and their effects on the human mind."
The researchers wrote that their biochemical findings reinforced existing evidence linking Bes to these plants and rituals. They noted that various ancient and modern names for harmel are based around the set of letters bs and bss, with some interpreted as "the plant of Bes."
They wrote that one ritual "linked to the cult of Bes" was related to obtaining prophetic dreams, and said that an "archaeological testimony," provided by Greek language graffiti engraved on the walls of an ancient Egyptian temple, referred to Bes as the "giver of oracles" and "giver of dreams."
The study authors said that iconographic evidence also links the deity with the blue water lily. "At least 12 figurines of Bes emerging from a blue water lily flower are known, and representations of this flower can be found on different types of Bes-vessels," the researchers wrote.
'Highly Symbolic'
In addition to the organic material detected in the vessel, the team identified the presence of a fermented alcoholic liquid derived from fruit, and even human bodily fluids that appear to have been deliberately added to the mixture.
"Proteins from blood, vaginal mucus and possibly breast milk were identified. These fluids may have held symbolic or ritual significance, emphasizing themes of life, fertility and regeneration," Greco said.
"The inclusion of human fluids, such as blood and mucous secretions, was an unexpected and highly symbolic element."
The authors propose that the liquid concoction—which appears to have been flavored with honey, sesame seeds, pine nuts, licorice and grapes—was used in some sort of ritual reenacting an ancient Egyptian myth, potentially linked to fertility.
"This study reveals that Bes mugs were more than decorative or utilitarian objects—they played a critical role in complex ceremonial practices," Greco said. "The contents suggest the mug was used to prepare or consume a psychotropic drink in rituals involving altered states of consciousness, fertility or prophecy.
"Archaeologically, this underscores the importance of Bes as a figure of mystical transformation and expands our understanding of Ptolemaic-era ritual practices."
Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about archaeology? Let us know via science@newsweek.com.
Reference
Tanasi, D., Van Oppen De Ruiter, B. F., Florian, F., Pavlovic, R., Chiesa, L. M., Fochi, I., Stani, C., Vaccari, L., Chaput, D., Samorini, G., Pallavicini, A., Semeraro, S., Gaetano, A. S., Licen, S., Barbieri, P., & Greco, E. (2024). Multianalytical investigation reveals psychotropic substances in a ptolemaic Egyptian vase. Scientific Reports, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-78721-8
