| Mythology holds within it tales of gods who once | | | | desire, and calming the heart. Ninkasi was the |
| governed the heavens above and the world | | | | daughter of Ninti, the Queen of Abzu, and Enki, |
| below. Many people are familiar with mythology, | | | | the lord of Nudimmud. I'm not really sure what |
| particularly Greek Mythology (Hi, Zeus) or Norse | | | | her parents' clout means in present day, but I |
| Mythology (What's up, Thor), but Egyptian | | | | think it's kind of like being a Hilton. |
| Mythology also contains significant importance, | | | | Asar: As the Egyptian God of agriculture, Asar |
| particularly when it comes to wine. Never mind | | | | (spelled Osiris in the Greek language) was |
| walking like an Egyptian, it's time to drink like an | | | | responsible for both wine and beer. He was also |
| Egyptian, at least an Egyptian God. | | | | known as the Egyptian God of life, death and |
| The Egyptians of yore were very into wine; on | | | | fertility (seeing how he was one of the oldest |
| the ground Egyptians used their pyramids as | | | | gods, he had a lot of time to build up his resume). |
| makeshift wine cellars, placing a great importance | | | | Appearing in pyramid texts as far back as 2400 |
| on every batch. In the skies, Egyptians held a | | | | B.C., Asar was a granter of life, and a grower of |
| belief in a variety of wine and wine-related gods. | | | | vegetation. But, he was also a benevolent judge in |
| The following is just a taste of the beings who | | | | the afterlife; it was believed that those who |
| governed the grape and valued the vine. | | | | passed on became associated with him. A leader |
| Geshtinana: Geshtinana, known as "Lady of the | | | | of the divine, Asar was a virtual god among gods. |
| Vine," was a goddess of wine. In mythology, she | | | | Renenutet: As a goddess of the harvest, |
| was the sister of Dumuzi, a shepherd married to | | | | Renenutet was a deity particularly important to |
| the goddess Inanna. When Inanna went missing, | | | | grape growers. This made her a goddess of wine |
| Dumuzi didn't seem to care: he was found | | | | and led to many people sacrificing to her during |
| enjoying life. Inanna returned to find her husband's | | | | times of harvest, hoping that their sacrifices |
| indifference and allowed the underworld to take | | | | would lead to fertility and growth. She was |
| him. When Dumuzi tried to escape capture, he | | | | sometimes viewed as the wife of Sobek, who |
| went to Geshtinana's house where he proceeded | | | | was often credited with annually flooding the Nile |
| to turn into a gazelle (if I had a dollar for every | | | | and allowing harvesting to take place. |
| time that's happened). He was eventually captured | | | | Coincidentally, this allowed him to also be viewed |
| and taken to the underworld. Dumuzi spent half a | | | | as a wine god, leaving me to believe that |
| year imprisoned in the underworld until Geshtinana | | | | Renenutet and Sobek's wedding must have been |
| took over and spent the other half. During this | | | | open bar. |
| time, I suspect that this "Lady of the Vine" was | | | | Wine gods likely exist in all kinds of mythology: |
| forced to revert to making wine in the toilet. | | | | the Egyptians are just a tasting. Whichever |
| Ninkasi: The goddess of alcohol, also known as the | | | | mythology a wine god is rooted, chances are |
| matron goddess of beer, Ninkasi was legend to | | | | each one will agree that the greatness of wine is |
| have been born of "sparking fresh water." Her | | | | as far away from a myth as possible. |
| duties as goddess of alcohol included satisfying | | | | |