After a survey of the Egyptian history the author discusses the names and the production of beer. Various kinds, mostly of unknown nature, occur in the early offering lists. The word Hnqt, lit. 'liquid', does not appear earlier than the IIIrd Dynasty, as name of a particular kind of beer even not earlier than the late IVth Dynasty. The author also discusses the word bSA, 'malt' (germinated barley). He then deals at length with the representations of beer production, which appear to have been different in the Old Kingdom from those of the New Kingdom. The use of dates in the beer production is stressed. The second chapter discusses strength and kinds of beer, explaining various ratios between the quantity of grain used and the quantity of beer produced from it (psw = baking or brewing ratio). The most usual measure of beer is ds, possibly about 3 litres. Beer has also been imported (qdi); the only kind which could be preserved for some time. The third chapter deals with beer and bread as daily food, as they occur in ration lists of temples and elsewhere. There follows a discussion of feasts and drunkenness, the latter being positively valued as an expression of joy, though there may be noticed a change in the appreciation during the New Kingdom. Helck also gives a survey of the vessels from which beer has been drunk. Other chapters discuss the role of beer in medicine and in myth and cult, the latter quoting various texts. Helck further mentions the beer-goddesses mnqt and tnmyt, winding up by some remarks about beer in the interpretation of dreams. The last chapter is devoted to the brewer: organisation of the court breweries, the words for brewer (atxw, later afty), and the function of the royal butler. A concluding chapter summarizes the significance of beer for the Egyptian civilisation. Notes on p. 104-113; indexes on p. 116-120. (AEB) |