Egyptians drank hallucinogenic cocktails in ancient rituals, study confirms

Egyptian ritual drink from a Bes mug likely contained hallucinogenic and psychotropic ingredients, according to chemical analysis of residue from the vessel. Researchers report finding chemical signatures of multiple components in a liquid concoction associated with the mug. The beverage is described as a mixture of psychedelic drugs, bodily fluids, and alcohol, with flavors such as honey, sesame seeds, pine nuts, licorice, and grapes. The study links these findings to Greco-Roman period ritual practice in ancient Egypt, with the cocktail proposed to have been used in dream-vision inducing magic rituals likely connected to fertility and pregnancy at sites such as Saqqara.