Egypt said on Saturday it had uncovered what may be "the world's oldest industrial-scale brewery" in the ancient city of Abydos (and here we were thinking Germany was the world's beer capital) https://abcnews.go.com/Internationa...oldest-brewery-ancient-city/story?id=75875972 Let's raise a mug and show coins from Abydos. ALEXANDER III AR Drachm OBVERSE: Head of Herakles right in lionskin headdress REVERSE: ALEXANDROU, Zeus Aetophoros seated left, holding eagle and sceptre. Forepart of Pegasos left in left field, X on W monogram beneath throne Struck at Abydos 325-323 BC 4.2g, 17mm Price 1505 Here's to you
I’ll have the Cleopatra Pale Ale and some peanuts. Give me a VI pack of Ptolemy Stout at the Chariot drive thru!
Very interesting article, thanks for sharing it, Bing. I only have one Abydos coin, but it is a non-Egyptian Abydos. Probably wine-drinkers in the Troas... Macedonia Kingdom Drachm Antigonus I Monophthalmus (c. 320-306 B.C.) Troas, Abydos Mint Head of Herakles in lion skin / AΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ, Zeus seated left on throne, eagle & sceptre; horned head of Zeus Ammon rt., ivy leaf under throne Price 1551; Müller 189. (4.00 grams / 18 mm)
Cool article and lifetime drachm Bing! Alexander III "the Great" Abydos. 336-323 BC. AR Drachm (17mm, 4.17g). Head of Herakles right, wearing lion skin / Zeus Aëtophoros seated left, monogram in left field, Z below throne. Price 1535. Former Kairos Numismatik
I had this kind in Egypt particularly in Siwa Oasis where the population is predominantly Berber. Drinking spirits is a bit frowned upon in most areas, though as it violates Islamic sensibilities....fortunately smoking a shisha pipe in the cafes is considered to be good manners along with tea (shay) or coffee (awhwa mas but).
It is said that Ramses III prized beer so highly that he offered up some 114,000 L (30,000 gal) a year to his gods. Many Philistine beer mugs with their strainer spouts have been found. Those various nations, it seems, had a great variety of beers to suit every taste—sweet beer, dark beer, perfumed beer, sparkling beer, spiced beer—served either hot or cold, watered down or thick and syrupy.
I love it that the brewery is dated back to the very beginning of Pharaonic times. John Romer's old PBS series, Ancient Lives, had something to say about how easy it would have been to hit on the fermentation process, effectively by accident. Wild that it was already happening on an industrial scale.
Very cool! I don't think that particular Abydos (South of Cairo) struck coins, just the one in Troas. As an aside, a number of years ago Dogfish Head attempted a "reconstruction" of ancient Egyptian ale (obviously attuned to modern tastes a bit) called Ta Henket. I believe it is still available for sale and is quite good, if a bit overpriced ($13/bomber). (Not my pic)
