It's actually in the etymology section on Wikipedia too:
> Legend has it that the name was connected to the Greek word mykēs (μύκης, "mushroom"). Thus, Pausanias ascribes the name to the legendary founder Perseus, who was said to have named it either after the cap (mykēs) of the sheath of his sword, or after a mushroom he had plucked on the site.
The worldwide distribution of Psilocybe Cubensis hallucinogenic mushrooms are strongly correlated to the domestication and worldwide spread of cattle. And the Minoans certainly involved cattle/bulls as a part of their worship practices.
Strange because there were psychedelic mushrooms growing all over Europe for thousands of years and undiscovered till the late 50s. Therefore, we have to believe that 1. Nobody ever tried them or 2. people tried them but didn’t like them, 3. They were liked at some point but were later forgotten or suppressed.
There is the story of Thracian wine that required dilution with water of 20 parts to 1 — and in Roman times,still required dilution of 8 to 1. Since you can’t make wine that strong, maybe it’s another case for mushrooms. But, tantalizing though it may be, it’s not evidence.
I don't think it's strange. There's datura growing all over the countryside
where I live and magic mushrooms too, probably (although I wouldn't recognise
them). I don't go plucking and using it. Neither do most people I know. Why is
that strange?
Can you say where you have heard about the Thracian wine thing? I know the
ancients diluted their wine (not just Thracian wine, also Rhodian wine which was
something like French wines today, the top of the tops), but they also added all
sort of taste enhancers to it.
The use of Datura is much better attested than mushrooms in ancient history. Mushrooms are super popular today—even though they have to compete with tv and alcohol. Mushrooms are generally a very swell time. And, people generally like drugs. Even animals like drugs. Furthermore, magic mushrooms are easy to identify— they are either bright red (amantia muscara) or they turn blue (psilocybin). So, yes, I think it is strange that they weren’t used— which is why I think cultural taboos emerged around them (that persist today).
Thanks for the link, I'll have a look. I don't think it's true that "people generally like drugs". Some people like drugs. Most people don't, with the exception of alcohol and milder "drugs" like coffee and nicotine. Most people like to get drunk, but only occasionally. Even the people who like to get drunk prefer to do it in well circumscribed contexts, like social occasions or rituals etc. That actually goes for the traditional consumption of entheogens also, btw.
In particular -and I'm aware you'll probably find that hard to believe right now, but- most people really don't like the idea of hallucinogens. Crossing the doors of perception to enter a different reality is not most peoples' idea of a fun time. Quite the contrary. See "bad trip". I've heard of junkies, I've heard of alkies, but I've never had anyone having a "bad trip" with wine or beer.
Incidentally, when I first started hearing about datura, it was all from people saying that it's the worst imaginable trip one could ever have and they never wanted to touch it again.
Anyway, my personal advice is to not do drugs. One only wastes their time, time they will never get back and that they could be spending in developing their knowledge and skills instead.
> Legend has it that the name was connected to the Greek word mykēs (μύκης, "mushroom"). Thus, Pausanias ascribes the name to the legendary founder Perseus, who was said to have named it either after the cap (mykēs) of the sheath of his sword, or after a mushroom he had plucked on the site.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycenae
Even if that's true then it is still a leap from "People from Mushroom City" to "Mushroom People"