In 2006 (April 7th), as I was doing my doctoral (Ph.D.) research at the anthropology department of the Université de Montréal, I had the opportunity to participate in the annual colloquium of the The Society for Near Eastern Studies (Montreal chapter) on the topic of magic and medicine in the ancient Near-East. here, I presented my research on medicinal and psycholeptic properties of the water lilies (known as “lotus”) from Pharaonic Egypt. The flowers were very often appearing in the iconographical analysis I was doing of ancient Egyptian marsh-bowls also called Nun-bowls.
The same year, this research was also published in the associations periodical: Revue d'Études des Civilisations Anciennes du Proche-Orient (RECAPO).
You can download the free presentation (see below) and read a basic English translation of the introductory text to this presentation and publication.
Exploration of the medicinal and psycholeptic properties of the water lilies (known as “lotus”) from Pharaonic Egypt
"The omnipresence of the iconographic motif of the blue water lily in Pharaonic Egypt as well as its multiple mentions in the medical literature of the time have led several researchers to infer the potentially narcotic role of this flower. However, these researchers do not agree on the results of the analyzes obtained, and some confusion remains as to the clear identification of pharmacodynamic properties that may be linked to Egyptian water lily.
This article therefore aims to review our current knowledge concerning the controversy associated with the potentially psycholeptic or narcotic properties of Egyptian water lilies (wrongly called lotuses). First, however, we will briefly review the botanical aspect and the different contexts in which they are found, and examine their mention in the medicinal recipes of the various Egyptian medical papyri of the Pharaonic era."
(2007) Abigaëlle Richard. Exploration of the medicinal and psycholeptic properties of the water lilies (known as “lotus”) from Pharaonic Egypt, presentation at the annual colloquium of the The Society for Near Eastern Studies (Montreal chapter) and publication in the Revue d'Études des Civilisations Anciennes du Proche-Orient (RECAPO) 13, p. 36-49.
(2007) Abigaëlle Richard. Exploration des propriétés médicinales et psycholeptiques des nymphéas (dits « lotus ») de l’Égypte pharaonique, conférence donnée au colloque annuel de la Société pour l'Étude du Proche-Orient Ancien et publication dans la Revue d'Études des Civilisations Anciennes du Proche-Orient (RECAPO) 13, p. 36-49.
Download the free presentation in French:
Who is Mokusho Abigaëlle Richard?
As a starseed soul, intuitive artist, iconographer, transmitter, collage artist and travel photographer, my soul purpose is to share my higher self connection and spiritual intuitive guidance in the form of a reading or Creative Intuitive Transmission with meaning (iconography), high vibration words and artwork as an original art collage of Japanese art style washi chiyogami paper (normally used for origami). It also takes the form of color and black and white photo digital files of travel, nature, landscape, animal, urban, architecture and b&w photography. Both are for sale as wall art in my art shop and their creative process and inspiration is discussed in blog posts on this website. They are also shared as videography on “The grounded starseed” Youtube channel, to offer you high frequency art.