A traditional terracotta oil lamp with multiple small wicks around the edge and intricate carved patterns on the upper part.

EPOPTEIA

Hellenic Center for Entheogenic Research

Reviving the ancient pharmakon

EPOPTEIA investigates the pharmacological knowledge embedded in the ritual and medicinal traditions of the ancient Greek world. Drawing on classical scholarship, analytical chemistry, pharmacology, and archaeology, the Center studies substances known in antiquity as pharmaka—natural compounds capable of shaping perception, healing, and profound psychological experience. Our research seeks to illuminate the pharmacological heritage of Greek civilization and explore its relevance for modern medicine and neuroscience

Featured Work

The Kykeon Project

The Eleusinian Mysteries were among the most influential religious traditions of the ancient world. Central to the initiation was the consumption of kykeon, a ritual beverage whose nature has been debated for centuries. EPOPTEIA leads the first modern scientific investigation of kykeon, combining historical analysis, chemical reconstruction, and pharmacological research.

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Get in Touch

info@epopteiacenter.com
+1 (617) 371 - 7351

1 Prophet Elias Street, Porto Rafti, 19003, Attica, Greece