Honey, often referred to as “the nectar of the gods,” held a significant place in ancient Egyptian society. Its golden hue, sweet taste, and natural preservative qualities made it a highly valued substance in various aspects of life, from culinary and medicinal uses to religious and symbolic meanings. Honey played an extraordinary role in ancient society, and in the following article, we will explore the part of Honey in the ancient world.
Relief of a honeybee in the Tomb of Seti I (KV17), Valley of the Kings, c. 1290-1279 B.C.
The Origins of Beekeeping
Exactly how long honey has been in existence is hard to say because it has been around since as far back as we can record. Cave paintings in Spain from 7000BC show the earliest records of beekeeping, however, fossils of honey bees date back about 150 million years! The earliest evidence of honey harvesting dates back to around 3000 BC. The first evidence of organized beekeeping has been traced back to ancient Egypt, circa 3,500 BC. The earliest record of keeping bees in hives was found in the sun temple erected in 2400BC near Cairo.
A cave painting believed to be over 15,000 years old - dating back to the end of the Paleolithic Period - shows a human figure reaching into a beehive as bees fly nearby. The ancient Egyptians first started Beekeeping by capturing wild hives. The farmers would also use hollow logs, baskets, and pottery to house the bees. The hives were made out of clay and mud pipes stacked over each other.
Honey as a Culinary Delight
Ancient Egypt was a land of abundant bounty, thanks to the Nile’s yearly inundation, which bestowed fertile soil and a wealth of crops, sufficient to feed the populace for an entire year and still leave surpluses. The primary crops of the Nile Valley were emmer wheat and barley, from which were produced the ubiquitous bread and beer. The beer, nourishing rather than intoxicating, came in many varieties, and bread was no less diverse. The Egyptian diet also embraced fish, fowl, and vegetables (especially onions, but also garlic, lettuce, and cucumber) as well as fruits such as the date, fig, dom palm nut, and pomegranate. These staples were available to all, from humble peasants to high officials.
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Yet perhaps the most enchanting ingredient of the Ancient Egyptian larder was honey, a treasure both literal and symbolic. The ancient Egyptians used honey as a sweetener, as a gift to their gods and even as an ingredient in embalming fluid. Honey cakes were baked by the Egyptians and used as an offering to placate the gods. Used to sweeten bread and beer, honey was also an esteemed healing agent, applied to wounds to prevent infection. Honey was a key ingredient in the diet of ancient Egyptians, used primarily as a sweetener in food and drink. Sugar as we know it today was not available, so honey served as the main source of sweetness in their cuisine. Beyond its role as a sweetener, honey was also valued for its ability to preserve food. The Egyptians used honey to extend the shelf life of fruits, nuts, and even meats. This practice was especially important in a hot climate where food spoilage was a constant concern.
The Ancient Egyptians were also connoisseurs of herbs and spices, using them both in cookery and for medicinal purposes. Aniseed, famed for its calming properties, and mustard, a staple in medical recipes, were widely appreciated. Coriander, too, was treasured; baskets of it were found in Tutankhamun’s tomb, and the tomb of Kha and Merit preserved baskets of herbs, including cumin or “tepnen” as it was called in Ancient Egypt. These aromatic treasures added depth to meals and remedies alike, underscoring Egypt’s role as a pioneer of flavour and health.
Honey as Medicine
In ancient Egypt, honey was not only a luxury food item but also an essential component of medicinal practices. The Egyptians were pioneers in medicine, and honey played a crucial role in their treatments due to its antibacterial and healing properties. It was used as a natural remedy for a variety of ailments, including wounds, burns, and infections. For wound care, honey was often applied directly to cuts and abrasions. Its viscosity provided a protective barrier, while its natural sugars helped to dehydrate and kill bacteria. Mixed with other ingredients like resins and animal fats, honey was also used in ointments and poultices to promote healing. Ancient Egyptians used raw Honey in medicine as well. In fact, Honey was mentioned five hundred times among nine hundred Egyptian remedies. Honey was a standard prescription for cuts, infections, wounds and burns. They also used Honey to treat coughs, asthma problems, throat infections, sore throats, and stomach ulcers.
According to an Egyptian legend, honey was born from Ra’s tears, which explains why the ancient Egyptians ascribed so many virtuous properties to this natural product. From the earliest times, it was incorporated in food and used in medicine, mainly to heal wounds and to treat coughs. But, if its therapeutic properties are universally known, as well as its sweetness, honey also had, in the eyes of Egyptians, some quite unusual beneficial properties.
Honey in Religion and Symbolism
Honey’s association with divinity and immortality made it a powerful symbol in Egyptian religion. According to Egyptian mythology, when the sun god Re wept, his tears became honey bees upon touching the ground. Thus, the bee was not merely an industrious creature but a sacred symbol of life and divine grace. It was believed to be the tears of the sun god Ra, further enhancing its sacred status. Honey was often used in religious rituals and offerings, symbolizing purity and sustenance. The bee was the emblem of eros/cupid. Bees were considered sacred animals by Ancient Egyptians. They believed that the “honey bee” was a gift from god Re. Therefore, they would often depict an image of honey bees in hieroglyphics and paintings. Raw Honey was also often used in religious ceremonies and offered as a sacrifice to gods.
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In temple reliefs, such as those of King Seti I; bees appear as part of royal iconography, embodying Lower Egypt, industry, and the pharaoh’s duty to uphold Ma’at, the cosmic order. The bee’s presence also served as a metaphor for the kingdom as a harmonious hive, thriving under the pharaoh’s guiding hand.
Honey and the Afterlife
Ancient Egyptian royals were often buried with objects they believed were needed for a harmonious transition to the afterlife. Items such as jewelry and games were common inclusions in their tombs, as were everyday staples such as clothing and food. Honey was often included as part of their tombs or pyramids to ensure that they would have food in the afterlife. For instance, an excavation in 1922 discovered more than 2000 jars of preserved Honey from the tomb of King Tut. The archaeologists tasted it, and to their amazement, found it to be sweet and edible - 3000-year-old Honey still edible.
Despite being over 3,000 years old, pots of honey discovered in Egyptian tombs remain remarkably intact and even edible, thanks to honey’s unique properties that make it resistant to spoilage. The secret lies in its low water content, high sugar levels, and natural antibacterial agents, combined with the bees’ sophisticated production process. Honey’s extraordinary shelf life is the result of several factors. Its low water content and high sugar levels create an environment that’s inhospitable to bacterial growth, and it also contains trace amounts of hydrogen peroxide, which acts as a natural microbial inhibitor. While other foods with similar sugar makeup tend to spoil faster, honey has its sophisticated alchemists to thank for its resilience: Bees use their rapidly flapping wings to evaporate most of the honey’s water, and an enzyme in their stomachs contributes to honey’s unique antibacterial property. Sealed for Eternity: The preservation of honey in Egyptian tombs was partly due to the use of tightly sealed clay or stone jars.
One of the most intriguing uses of honey in funerary practices was its role in mummification. While honey itself was not typically used to embalm bodies, it was sometimes applied to the exterior of mummies or used as a binding agent in the preparation of natron, a salt used for drying out the body.
Honey as Currency and Trade
In Ancient Egypt, Honey was a valuable currency, easy to store and transport. Honey was convertible for all trades and used to measure its worth relative to other objects and commodities. Honey was considered a prestigious food at this time in Ancient Egypt at which only the higher classes could enjoy. Honey was given to pharaohs, and people who worked with them were granted a spoon of raw Honey a day for general wellbeing and to increase longevity. Furthermore, Egyptians did not grow any sugar or corn at this time.
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Honey was considered a luxury item, and its production and trade were tightly controlled by the state and the temple authorities. Beekeeping was an important industry in ancient Egypt, with honey being produced both for domestic use and for export. It was often used as a form of currency or as a gift to curry favor with powerful individuals. The Egyptians also depicted bees and honeycomb in their art and hieroglyphs, emphasizing the importance of honey in their culture.
Ancient Egypt Honey Cakes
The Legacy of Honey
The high regard for honey is evident in the remarkable records of its use. Beekeepers were esteemed professionals, and even a royal beekeeper is mentioned on stelae. Man-made hives, crafted from Nile mud and clay in tubular forms, were moved seasonally along the river to ensure year-round pollination, much as Egyptian apiarists do today, though now with modern transport instead of wooden boats. The reverence for honey in ancient Egypt left a lasting legacy that extended beyond the Nile Valley.
The Greeks viewed honey as not only an important food, but also as a healing medicine. Greek recipes books were full of sweetmeats and cakes made from honey. The Romans also used honey as a gift to the gods and they used it extensively in cooking. Honey continued to be of importance in Europe until the Renaissance, when the arrival of sugar from further afield meant honey was used less. By the seventeenth century sugar was being used regularly as a sweetener and honey was used even less.
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