Ancient Egypt and The Enduring Legacy of Beer and Wine
- Feb 25, 2023
- 5 min read
Beer and wine are widely consumed beverages nowadays that have been around for centuries. They are ubiquitous drinks that many of us have enjoyed with friends or alone, particularly during warm summer evenings, possibly sitting on a balcony or lying in a pool. No doubt, at the end of a long day in the fields or hauling stone for a state project, the Egyptians did the same. So, come with me (also, feel free to grab a drink of your choice to accompany you while reading this) on a journey back in time to ancient Egypt, where the sun-drenched landscape produced some of the most exquisite wines and beers in the world.
Before we begin, the Ancient Egyptian words for beer and wine are:
Beer: 𓎛𓈎𓈖𓏏𓏋𓏫 “Heqent” / Wine: 𓇋𓂋𓊪𓅱𓏊𓏥 “irep”
First, let’s look at beer. Beer’s origins can be traced back to ancient civilizations, particularly the Egyptians and the Sumerians. In this article, we will explore the different uses of beer in ancient Egypt, particularly during social and religious events.
Ancient Egypt: A Beer-Drinking Civilization
Beer was the most popular drink in ancient Egypt and was consumed by both the common people and the elites. In fact, it really was the only drink – you couldn’t really trust the water from the Nile. It was a staple, along with bread, that accompanied people’s lives from birth to death. Literature from Egypt tells us that mothers were expected to provide bread and beer for their children as they grew. Also, pregnant women drank beer with a straw as they believed it increased milk production. Infants were weaned with a mixture of beer, water, and honey, and older children were given a moderate amount during an initiation ceremony.
The beer that we think of today is not the beer that Ancient Egyptians drank. Their beer didn’t really have the same taste or texture as ours does today. Theirs was thicker and less alcoholic, it was more of “meal”.
There were three types of beers were that were used depending on the ritual purpose:
“Zythum,” a light beer, used to wash the bodies of nobles and dignitaries;
“Curmy,” a type of dark beer;
“Sa,” used exclusively to wash the pharaoh’s body and for religious ceremonies.
Beer was also used in the mummification process, and only the most important personalities of the kingdom were entitled to such treatment. Before the mummification process began, the body was washed and purified with Nile water and beer to ensure the immortality of the soul, as beer was considered sacred. For some today it still is on a Friday afternoon after work.
Two amphorae, one containing zythum and the other containing curmy, were standard fare in most every tomb. Beer, more akin to mead due to the use of honey in its production, was also discovered in Tutankhamun’s tomb, along with miniature breweries that depict the brewing process.
Beer and Mythology
Beer was also an important part of Egyptian mythology, particularly in the story of the goddess Sekhmet. According to legend, Sekhmet was about to destroy mankind to punish them for conspiring against Ra, the god of the sun. However, she was appeased by a trick using beer, tinted red to look like blood. Sekhmet eagerly drank it, believing it to be blood, and fell into a stupor. The next day, Sekhmet transformed into Hathor, the goddess of fertility, music, sexuality, and love. This myth led to the celebration of the “Tekh Festival” or the “Festival of Hathor’s Drunkenness,” a state-sponsored ritual that promises to be a feast for the senses, where the myth was reenacted, and beer was consumed in large quantities by both the elites and the people, and where you were most likely to get some.
Go back in time in your mind, it’s the 20th day of the first month of Akhet, the season of inundation.. The air is thick with excitement and anticipation as the people prepare for the Festival of Drunkenness. This festival is unlike any other, combining both royal and popular elements in a celebration that dates back centuries. The king himself makes offerings of alcohol to the goddess Hathor/Sekhmet, and syncretized goddesses like Tefnut and Mut, in order to ward off pestilence and ensure a plentiful inundation. Meanwhile, the common people participate in sacred revelries that mirror the goddess’s own drunkenness and propitiation.
The Brewing Process
The ancient Egyptians prepared beer differently from the modern brewing process because they did not use hops. Their beer was made from barley or wheat, which made it opaque and thick. It was not very alcoholic but highly nutritious. Dates, pomegranates, and honey were used as sweeteners.
Imagine this scene, the sweet aroma of freshly baked barley bread filling the air, you are smelling the beginning of the production of the day’s beer. Whether it was for household consumption or to nourish the state employees, the process of making beer was a treasured tradition. First, partially baked cakes of barley bread were prepared and laid on a screen above a large vat or jar. Water was then poured over them, and as the bread dissolved, it flowed into the vat, creating a concoction that was left to ferment in a warm place. It’s even been whispered that some may have not used the freshest of ingredients. Stale bread may have been used as a substitute, but the result was always the same: a delicious and refreshing beer that satisfied even the thirstiest of souls. It just in this life, but also in the life to come after death.
Wine in Ancient Egypt
It wasn’t all just beer for the Ancient Egyptians. The ancient Egyptians also had several different kinds of wine (Red and White), some of which were highly esteemed by ancient authors. Tutankhamen also enjoyed a cup of wine, as is evidenced in his tomb. The most famous wine was Mareotic, which was produced in the Mareotis district. It was highly regarded for its sweetness, fragrant bouquet, and its ability to age well. Teniotic, a wine produced in Tenia, was also highly prized for its richness and fragrant aroma. The Egyptians had many other vineyards in the Nile Valley, each with their unique flavors and colors. Some of the wine made in the Thebaid was light and highly recommended for invalids.
But it wasn’t just the flavor of these wines that made them popular. Some had unique properties that made them forbidden to newly married brides, or only drank by men. The Egyptians also used wine for medicinal purposes, and many wines were considered specific remedies for certain complaints. The medical professionals of the time, however, were cautious in their prescriptions, preferring lesser-known wines to those that were popularly celebrated.
Once again like beer, during the mummification process line was used the embalmers would clean out the body cavity, rinsing it with palm, wine, and pound of spices.
Wine was also an important part of religious offerings in ancient Egypt. Different kinds of wine were offered to the deities, with each variety having a unique name attached to it. The rituals around wine offerings varied depending on the temple and the deity being worshiped, with some temples forbidding the use of wine altogether.
Beer and wine were an essential part of ancient Egyptian culture and mythology. Its uses were varied, from being used in the mummification process to being consumed during social and religious events, and as medication.
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