‘World’s oldest known beer factory’ unearthed in Egypt

The beer may have been used in sacrificial rites as part of royal ceremonies

The remains of vats used for beer fermentation, uncovered in the Abydos archaeological site near Egypt’s southern city of Sohag (Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities/AFP via Getty)

American and Egyptian archaeologists working at one of the most prominent historic sites of ancient Egypt have unearthed the oldest known beer factory in the world.

Mostafa Waziri, secretary-general of Egypt’s supreme council of antiquities, said the factory was found in Abydos, an ancient burial ground located in the desert west of the Nile River, more than 280 miles south of Cairo.

Mr Waziri said the factory dates back to the reign of King Narmer, who is remembered for his unification of ancient Egypt at the beginning of the First Dynastic Period (3150BC-2613BC).

Archaeologists found eight units, each about 65ft long and 8ft wide, all containing roughly 40 pottery basins in two rows, which had been used to heat up a mixture of grains and water to produce beer, Mr Waziri said.

The joint archaeological mission is co-chaired by Dr Matthew Adams of the Institute of Fine Arts, New York University, and Deborah Vischak, assistant professor of ancient Egyptian art history and archaeology at Princeton University.

The factory was first mentioned by British archaeologists in the early 20th century, but they were unable to determine its location (Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities/AFP via Getty)

Dr Adams said the factory would have been built in this area to provide royal rituals with beer, and that archaeologists have found evidence showing the use of beer in sacrificial rites of ancient Egyptians.

The factory was first mentioned by British archaeologists in the early 20th century, but they were unable to determine its location, the antiquities ministry said.

The ancient burial ground of Abydos was renowned for its numerous monuments honouring Osiris, ancient Egypt’s god of the underworld and the deity responsible for judging souls in the afterlife.

Egypt has announced dozens of ancient discoveries in the past couple of years, in the hope of attracting more tourists.

The tourism industry has been reeling from the political turmoil following the 2011 popular uprising that toppled longtime autocrat Hosni Mubarak.

The sector was also dealt a further blow last year by the coronavirus pandemic.