Northern Cal. Egyptology Lecture 11/22 - From Nile to Vial: Chemical and Archaeological Investigation of the Egyptian Blue Lotus

 

The American Research Center in Egypt, Northern California chapter, invites you to attend a Zoom lecture by Liam McEvoy, UC Berkeley: From Nile to Vial: Chemical and Archaeological Investigation of the Egyptian Blue Lotus Sunday, November 22, 2026, 3 PM PST This meeting is virtual, not in person. It will not be recorded. Zoom registration link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/VN4t9-zFTsWRRz2s21iF1Q Liam McEvoy has studied the cultural significance of the Egyptian blue lotus and the chemical properties that differentiate it from products sold  online. (Diego Moran/UC Berkeley) About the Lecture: This talk revisits the Egyptian blue lotus (Nymphaea caerulea), a plant long associated with rebirth, intoxication, and divine encounter, using a combination of close Egyptological reading and high‑resolution analytical chemistry. By tracking how a single flower moves between temple walls, funerary texts, and contemporary e‑commerce, the project exposes striking gaps between the blue lotus imagined, the blue lotus sold, and the blue lotus that actually grows. New metabolomic data from authenticated specimens complicate the familiar apomorphine–nuciferine narrative and instead point toward a different, previously overlooked chemical logic underlying the plant’s ancient use. Taken together, these lines of evidence suggest a more deliberate and technically sophisticated approach to altered states in ancient Egypt than current approaches allow. Liam McEvoy examines artifacts at the Phoebe A. Hearst Museum of Anthropology at UC Berkeley.  (Image Courtesy of Liam McEvoy) About the Speaker: Liam McEvoy attended UC Berkeley as an Anthropology and Egyptology undergraduate student, with his senior thesis research being supported by ARCE Northern California. After graduating, he began working at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory within the Analytical Chemistry division to help develop new ways to use mass spectrometry on both ancient and modern materials, reconstructing human history one molecule at a time. His research centers on archaeochemistry, with a particular focus on ancient Egyptian medicinal plants such as the Sacred Blue Lotus. Positioned at the intersection of ancient magic and cutting-edge science, his work draws upon humanity’s past to inspire a brighter future. How to Register: Register for the lecture by clicking on this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/VN4t9-zFTsWRRz2s21iF1Q After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the lecture. There are a few things you should know before you join the lecture: * Advance registration is required. When you click on the link to register. you will receive instructions by email on how and when to join, along with a link on which you will click to join the meeting. Save the email, as you will need the link it contains to join the meeting. Please register now. Please do not share the join link with anyone, it is unique to your email address. Try to join at least 10 minutes before the meeting. When you do join the meeting, be prepared to be put in the waiting room until the lecture starts at 3 pm.  This is a security measure. * If you haven't already installed Zoom, you should download and install the Zoom program (app) well before you try to join the meeting. There IS an option to use your web browser to join the meeting instead of the Zoom program, but the browser interface is limited and depends greatly on what browser and what operating system you're using. * For tutorials on how to use Zoom, go to https://learn-zoom.us/show-me. In particular, "Joining a Zoom Meeting" should show you what you need to do to join our lecture. * All meeting attendees can communicate with everyone, or with individual participants, using the chat window, which can be opened by clicking on the chat button and which you can probably find at the bottom middle of your Zoom viewing screen. Participants will be encouraged to hold their questions for the speaker until after the lecture, and will also be encouraged to address their questions for the speaker to everyone, not just to the speaker, so that all can see them. "Everyone" is the default chat option. If you have any questions, please email glenn@glennmeyer.net or arcencZoom@gmail.com. About Northern California ARCE: For more information, please visit https://www.youtube.com/@NorthernCaliforniaARCE, https://www.facebook.com/NorthernCaliforniaARCE, https://arce-nc.org, https://bsky.app/profile/khentiamentiu.bsky.social, and https://khentiamentiu.org. To join the chapter or renew your membership, please go to https://arce.org/membership/ and select "Berkeley, CA" as your chapter when you sign up.