[Another—speculative as always—mention of Syrian Rue being used as an entheogen in ancient times. In this case, in the Eleusinian Mysteries.]First a short description of the Eleusinian Mysteries:
“The Eleusinian Mysteries were initiation ceremonies held every year for the cult of Demeter and Persephone based at Eleusis in ancient Greece. Of all the mysteries celebrated in ancient times, these were held to be the ones of greatest importance. These myths and mysteries, begun in the Mycenean period (c. 1600 BC) and lasting two thousand years, were a major festival during the Hellenic era, later spreading to Rome. The name of the town, Eleusís, is a variant of the noun έλευσις, éleusis, arrival.The rites, ceremonies, and beliefs were kept secret, as initiation was believed to unite the worshipper with the gods and included promises of divine power and rewards in the afterlife. There are many paintings and pieces of pottery that depict various aspects of the Mysteries. Since the Mysteries involved visions and conjuring of an afterlife, some scholars believe that the power and longevity of the Eleusinian Mysteries came from psychedelic agents.”Pasted from <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eleusinian_Mysteries>
From Wikipedia on the Greek possibly-entheogenic ritual drink Kykeon which was drunk toward the climax of the Eleusinian Mysteries:
“Another theory is that the kykeon was an Ayahuasca analog involving Syrian Rue (Peganum harmala), a shrub which grows throughout the Mediterranean and also functions as a monoamine oxidase inhibitor. The most likely candidate for the DMT containing plant, of which there are many in nature, would be species of Phalaris (grass) and/or Acacia. Other scholars however, noting the lack of any solid evidence and stressing the collective rather than individual character of initiation into the Mysteries, regard entheogenic theories with pointed skepticism. While this may be true, the Mysteries are generally accepted to be associated with the consumption of some substance(s), possibly as a beverage, that induced visions and a feeling of oneness with at least mankind, if not the universe. This made the event particularly reliable, necessarily secret, in addition to special and certainly subject to strict sanctions if the secrecy were violated.”Pasted from <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eleusinian_Mysteries>
[Barley contaminated with the LSD-ish-containing ergot fungus has also been suggested as the enthogenic substance in Kykeon. Kykeon was also known as a harmless (harmala-less?) barley-containing peasant’s drink.