Alcohol in Pharaonic Egypt

In the fourth episode of Drunk On History, host Lauren Dogaer talks with Morgan Moroney, Assistant Curator of Egyptian, Classical and Ancient Near Eastern Art at the Brooklyn Museum in New York. Together, they explore common assumptions about alcohol consumption in Ancient Egypt, including the idea that beer was the drink of the common people while wine was reserved for the elite. They also discuss the different scales on which beer and wine were produced during the Pharaonic period.The conversation then turns to the fascinating “Festival of Drunkenness.” Lauren and Morgan examine the role of beer and wine in this extraordinary celebration, where excessive drinking was believed to grant participants access to the goddess associated with intoxication. Far from an ordinary social gathering, the festival was a ritualized feast with profound religious significance.Drawing on archaeological evidence, particularly from funerary contexts, they discuss how brewery models, wine-making scenes, and drinking vessels deposited in tombs reveal valuable insights into the production, consumption, and cultural importance of alcohol in Pharaonic Egypt.The recording and editing of this episode was kindly funded by Mehen, Study Center for Ancient Egypt