Plant Motifs and Sacred Rituals of the Thracians in Connection with the God Hypnos

Abstract

The idea of the plant world of the Thracians as part of the cult practice is relatively less studied. In fact, the whole philosophy of Orphism and Hermeticism is imbued with practical agriculture. Therefore, it should not be viewed in isolation from the sacred rituals dedicated to the gods. The cult of grapes and wine and their connection with the Dionysian holidays is well known. But the secrets of the Bacchic ceremonies lie in the composition of the so-called. "Soma", which is probably a type of hallucinogenic substance. An ecstatic elixir known in Vedic rituals was made from a plant with white aromatic flowers. Soma is the name of the liquid prepared, but also the name of a deity. The Aryans describe this ritual as related to agriculture. In this regard, we can find artifacts in Bulgaria from the Thracian culture, which were not illuminated due to the inability to connect with the cult of the minor deity Hypnos. During the Eleusinian Mysteries, where a ritual with wheat and barley was performed, a drink was used, which contained the so-called "honeydew" or an extract of an intoxicating plant agent. The purpose of Soma rituals was to achieve immortality. The vertical culture of the Thracians, which is dedicated to the connection with the gods and their perfect world, turns every agricultural activity into a special sacred space.