Emboden W A
J Ethnopharmacol. 1981 Jan;3(1):39-83. doi: 10.1016/0378-8741(81)90013-1.
Comparisons are made between ancient ritual uses of the flowers of Nymphaea (Nymphaeaceae) in Maya and Egyptian civilizations. Recurrent motifs encountered in the art of both of these ancient civilizations suggests that the role fo the water lily was that of a narcotic (psychodysleptic) used to mediate ecstasis among a priestly caste. Relevant literature is reviewed as are chemical data. Elements in the complex belief systems of these two civilizations need to be reinterpreted in view of the use of two water lilies as ritual narcotics. The species implicated are Nymphaea caerulea Sav., in Egypt, and N. ampla DC., among the Maya.
对玛雅和埃及文明中睡莲科睡莲属花朵的古代仪式用途进行了比较。在这两个古代文明的艺术中反复出现的图案表明，睡莲的作用是作为一种麻醉剂（精神错乱诱发剂），用于在神职人员阶层中引发狂喜状态。对相关文献以及化学数据进行了综述。鉴于将两种睡莲用作仪式麻醉剂，这两种文明复杂信仰体系中的元素需要重新解读。涉及的物种在埃及是蓝睡莲（Nymphaea caerulea Sav.），在玛雅人当中是大睡莲（N. ampla DC.）。
