Beer in Ancient Egypt: Wealthy people used porridge-like beer in their ceremonies 5600 years ago

Centuries before the pharaohs emerged in Egypt, the local elites used a thick porridge-like beer in their ceremonies

By Jason Arunn Murugesu

The elite members of early Egyptian society – before the emergence of the pharaohs – probably drank beer, which they transported around in six-litre jars.

Jiajing Wang at Dartmouth University in New Hampshire and her colleagues analysed fragments of pottery found at Hierakonpolis, an archaeological site in southern Egypt. The fragments date back to between 3800 and 3600 BC, about 600 years before Egypt was united into one state under Narmer, the first pharaoh.

The fragments were found in an area that served as …