Kykeon

Kykeon was an ancient Greek ritual beverage, notably used in the Eleusinian Mysteries, sacred initiations honoring Demeter and Persephone. It was typically made from water, barley, and herbs, and possibly contained psychoactive substances like ergot fungi, which could induce altered states of consciousness. The drink was believed to facilitate spiritual insights, divine communication, or mystical experiences, helping initiates connect with the gods and understand deeper truths about life and death. Its precise ingredients and effects remain partly speculative due to limited historical records, but it played a central role in one of Greece’s most revered religious ceremonies.