Honey bees reverence in Ancient Egypt

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Minia University- Faculty of Tourism and Hotels – Tour Guidance Dept

Abstract

" بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم . و أوحى ربك إلى النحل أن اتخذى من الجبال بيوتا و من الشجر و مما يعرشون ثم كلى من كل الثمرات فاسلكى سبل ربك ذللا يخرج من بطونها شراب مختلف ألوانه فيه شفاء للناس إن فى ذلك لآية لقوم يتفكرون . صدق الله العظيم ."      (سورة النحل : 68 – 69)
 “And your Lord inspired the bees, saying : ‘Take your habitations in the mountains and in the trees and in what they erect. Then, eat of all fruits, and follow the ways of your Lord made easy  (for you)’. There comes forth from their bellies, a drink of varying color wherein is healing for men. Verily, in this is indeed a sign for people who think”.
The Ancient Egyptian had a deep knowledge and appreciation for the bee, considering that it is the source of honey used as a medicine and as an agent among the mummification materials. He considered the bee as using everything that grows on earth in order to produce the beneficent honey, as stated in a text inscribed in the temple of Edfu Mammisi : ‘Everything that grows on the back of Geb is for your Ka; the bee uses them to make white honey for you’. (Derchain, P., Le Papyrus Salt 825 (BM 10051), rituel pour la conservation de la vie en Egypte, Memoires de  l’Academie Royale de Belgique ; LVIII, fascicule 1a, Bruxelles, 1965, p. 149 ; Chassinat, E., Le mammisi d’Edfou, Mémoires publies par les membres de l’Institut Français d’archéologie orientale du Caire, t.16, Le Caire, 1939, p. 164).
The words and expressions that the Ancient Egyptian used to refer or to describe the bees indicate that he knew a lot about the behavior and attitude of the bees whether inside the hive or outside it. Maybe also he revered the bees for all the marvelous aspects revealed in their organized life filled with all its building and productive activities.

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