 |
 |
|  |
 |
|
|
| |
|
 ow did the myth translate into day to day transaction? We know that being able to provide guest with food and drink was very important to the to all the social classes. This is obvious from social rituals and the satirizing of those whose hospitality was less that generous. Among the ruling class, a lack of proper hospitality was ground enough to be removed from office. The importance of being a good host it is also apparent by the content of graves, especially on the continent. Huge cauldrons, in one case capable of holding 500 liters, and kraters, a large type of urn from Greece, have been found along with drinking horn, goblets, dippers and a type of bucket used to carry smaller quantities of drink to the guest.
One interesting find was made near Hochdorf in Germany. A Celtic "prince" was buried with very rich grave goods including the above mentioned 500 liter cauldron. This grave is dated to about 600-500BCE and is categorised as being of the Hallstat culture. What is of interest to this discussion is the contents of the cauldron. Chemical analysis of the remains, it had been about ¾ full when entombed, showed that it consisted of a thick honey mixture containing up to 100 herbs, 58 of which have been identified. Many of these plants were not local and were imported at considerable cost. It would take considerable time, work and expense just to create this liquor, not to mention acquiring the cauldron to contain it, which is a Greek origin. When taken into consideration with the other grave goods, it is safe to assume that this cauldron and its contents carried with it some sacred significance. Unfortunately I do not have, at this time, a listing of the herbs that have been identified. The information is available, in German, however I haven't been able to get my hands on a text that gives Latin names or an English translation. From Early Irish and Germanic literature, as well as historical accounts, we know that during the Iron Age the ritual presentation and sharing of drink among the members of the King or Chiefs "war-band" served to bind the individuals to the ruler and to each other in times of peace and preceding battle. From these written accounts as well as from the archeological record we find that women played an important role in these rites. In early times the "brew-miester" was more likely to have been a "brew-mistress" as women were responsible for the maintenance of the household including the production of food and drink. In the upper classes this also included the role of "she who presents the drink" thereby publicly conferring status. This ceremony of the woman presenting the man with a drink was part of dedication rites in which a man joined a chieftain's a king's band. The honored woman presenting the first drink was a way of indicating and reinforcing the status of the band-leader. At a feast, the woman, usually the wife of the leader, would come in bearing a cup and would present it first to the leader and then by descending status to the remaining members of the clan or band. Ceremonially offering a drink in the banqueting hall was one way an upper-class woman publicly acknowledged her choice of mate. In some cases the presentation of the cup was the extent of the actual marriage ceremony. From this very brief overview of a complex social and mythological theme we can begin to see the significance of the ritual sharing of a drink. In today's secular culture, alcoholic beverages are still a part of diplomatic functions, courtship and marriage rites. In the spiritual realm, the blessing and sharing of the cup during Wiccan and Craft rituals, serve to bond us to the Gods and each other. All of these practices can trace their origins to the very same myths and social rites that were so much a part of our ancestors daily lives. |
