Investigating the psychedelic hypothesis of kykeon, the sacred elixir of the Eleusinian Mysteries

TL;DR

This study explores whether ergot fungus was used to create a psychedelic drink in ancient Eleusinian rituals.

Contribution

The study demonstrates a plausible ancient method to convert toxic ergot compounds into psychoactive substances.

Findings

Ergopeptides were converted into lysergic acid amide derivatives using lye, as shown by NMR and HRMS.

The process yielded 0.54 mg LSA and 0.48 mg iso-LSA per gram of ergot after 120 minutes.

This supports the hypothesis that kykeon contained psychoactive compounds from ergot.

Abstract

This study revisits the hypothesis that Claviceps purpurea (Fr.) Tul., a fungus infecting cereals and producing ergot alkaloids (EAs), was the psychedelic agent in kykeon, the sacred elixir of the Eleusinian Mysteries. Although archaeological evidence supports this link, experimental data confirming the transformation of toxic ergopeptides into psychoactive lysergic acid amide derivatives in putative ancient preparations remain limited. The potential hydrolysis products of ergot were investigated using a technique that could have been readily applied by the priestesses of Eleusis, notably reacting in lye. Pulverized sclerotia were refluxed in solutions of lye and in distilled water. Samples obtained after liquid-liquid extractions were analyzed with 1H-NMR and UHPLC/Q-TOF-HRMS. The 1H NMR spectra demonstrated conversion of toxic ergopeptides, present in control samples but absent at all reaction times in 5% w/v ergot treated with pH 12.5 lye, where characteristic peaks for lysergic acid amide (LSA; ergine) and isolysergic acid amide (iso-LSA; isoergine; erginine) appeared. UHPLC/Q-TOF-HRMS quantitation confirmed this conversion, yielding 0.54 mg LSA and 0.48 mg iso-LSA per gram of ergot at 120 min. The chemical transformation of toxic EAs to psychoactive compounds, utilizing ancient technology, was demonstrated and supports the “psychedelic Eleusis” hypothesis.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1038/s41598-026-39568-3.

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