Ancient Psychedelia: Alien Gods & Mushroom Goddesses
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 (41b) Isis, Harpocrates on Lotus and Serapis Ashmolean Museum The phiale is another interesting item from the Greek and Roman period. The phiale has an odd shape for a libation bowl, very similar to the cap of a mushroom. Phiales from 500 BC have what may be described as “gills” all over the bowl, including one instance where Hercules is slaying a bull in the center (47j, k). Similar mushroom cap pottery design, with ridging all along the circumference, may be seen on bowls from Jordan going back to 2500 BC (47m) all the way up through 500 BC in Greece and the United Arab Emirates (47L, n).   (47k) Greek Bronze Phiale c. 500 BC |
  R: (47m) Jordan Pottery c. 2500 BC L: (47l) Greek Red Figure Pottery Plate c. 500-400 BC   R : (47n) Abu Dubai, United Arab Emirates We see this same ridging on terracotta oil lamps depicting Medusa from Greece c. 100 BC (47i). The Narino culture from Ecuador, from the time period of 850-1500 AD, also has pottery with mushroom cap gills drawn all around the inside (79d).   R: (79d) Narino Origin, Ecuador c. 850 - 1500 AD |
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