A new British study has found that ancient Egyptian elites drank barley in a thick, porridge-like form about 5,800 years ago. Researchers analyzed fragments of pottery found in Hierakonpolis, an ancient city and current archaeological site in southern Egypt.
Researchers at Britain's Dartmouth University discovered the remains of a malt liquor in what were originally five straw-colored jars with flat bottoms, likely used to transport beverages in bulk.
Four bowls in the form of a fine clay beaker covered with a black lid revealed the remains of drinks extracted from barley, indicating their use for drinking.
According to what was published in the British Daily Mail, the study confirmed that the barley drink was not just a type of drink but was a "symbol of status and power", important in elite ceremonies and burial rituals.
The study added that the ancient beverage was of a consistency like "thick porridge" - possibly turbid and sweet - and more than a dozen ancient brewery sites have been identified so far in Hierakonpolis.
The new study was led by Jiajing Wang, an archaeologist at Dartmouth University in New Hampshire. "Maybe beer was like thick porridge, very different from what we drink today," said Wang.
He continued, "It was probably a staple food consumed by everyone, and at the same time, it was also ritually consumed on special occasions."
Wang and colleagues used a method called microfossil remains analysis on 33 ceramic vessel fragments from the Hierakonpolis site.
The pieces date back to between 3800 and 3600 BC, about 600 years before the time of the first Egyptian pharaoh, who academics believe was Narmer.
Wed, Dec. 8, 2021
