Ancient Egyptians used hallucinogens: Myth proven after researchers study 2000-year-old Bes mug

The old myth wherein it was believed that the ancient Egyptians used hallucinogens, is proved to be accurate as its first physical evidence is found in a cup that dates back 2,000 years, Interesting Engineering reported.

A DNA analysis of the Egyptian Bes mug was performed by a team of researchers, wherein they scraped the walls of the mug and confirmed the fact that the ancient Egyptians used hallucinogenic substances.

The Tampa Museum of Art had acquired one of these mugs in 1984 and the researchers were keen to understand the purpose of this ritualistic container.

The carving of Bes, the Egyptian deity, on the mugs might hint to the fact that he was worshiped as the god of protection, fertility, medicinal healing, and magical purification, the report added.

Bes mugs were present for over a long period of time thus,making it difficult to speculate their specific role in the ancient Egyptian culture. Egyptologists have been speculating the use of these mugs since ages.

Branko van Oppen, a curator of Greek and Roman art at the Tampa Museum of Art, told the University of South Florida that experts were unaware of the fact whether Egyptians used these mugs in daily life, for religious purposes, or in magic rituals.

Almost two thousand years later, after having performed various tests, a combination of biological remains of psychedelic substances, along with alcohol were found inside the mug, the publication stated quoting the news release by the University of South Florida.

The ancient Egyptians also flavored their elixir with honey, sesame seeds, pine nuts, licorice, and grapes to make the drink look like blood, the report added.

A University of Florida professor Tanasi said, “There’s no research out there that has ever found what we found in this study.”

“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,” the professor added.