Recent research has uncovered the earliest physical evidence of hallucinogenic substances used in ancient Egyptian rituals, transforming historical speculation into verified fact. Conducted by Davide Tanasi, a professor at the University of South Florida, this study analyzed one of the few surviving Bes cups, revealing significant insights into ancient practices.
The findings, published in Scientific Reports, address a longstanding mystery regarding the purpose of these cups, which date back approximately 2,000 years. The cups, adorned with the image of Bes—a deity associated with protection, fertility, and healing—have puzzled historians and archaeologists for years.
Tanasi stated, “No research has uncovered what we found in this study. For the first time, we identified all the chemical signatures of the liquid contents in the Bes cup housed at the Tampa Museum of Art, including plants used by the Egyptians, all of which possess psychotropic and medicinal properties.”
The study draws from the Mediterranean Diet Archaeology project, involving collaboration with researchers from the University of Trieste and the University of Milan. The team utilized advanced chemical and DNA analyses to investigate the cup's contents, scraping the internal walls to obtain powdered samples.
The results indicated a mixture of psychedelic drugs, bodily fluids, and alcohol, suggesting that this concoction was likely employed in a ritualistic context to replicate an Egyptian myth, possibly related to fertility. Ingredients included honey, sesame seeds, pine nuts, licorice, and grapes, which were commonly used to mimic the appearance of blood.
Branko van Oppen, curator of Greek and Roman art at the Tampa Museum of Art, remarked, “This research teaches us about magical rituals during the Greco-Roman period in Egypt. Egyptologists believe that people visited the so-called Bes Chambers in Saqqara to confirm successful pregnancies, as ancient pregnancies were fraught with danger.”