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Earliest evidence of cannabis use found in ancient Siberian tomb
CNN • • world
Key Points:
- Archaeologists discovered the earliest evidence of psychoactive cannabis use in a 2,800-year-old elite tomb in southern Siberia's Uyuk Valley, dating back to the earliest Scythian period.
- Researchers found over 1,400 preserved cannabis seeds and human hair in the tomb, with hair testing positive for THC and cannabinol, confirming psychoactive cannabis consumption nearly 3,000 years ago.
- The cannabis use is believed to have been part of ritual practices, possibly linked to shamanistic beliefs and funerary rituals involving sacrificed horses and potential human sacrifices.
- This finding extends the known history of cannabis use for mind-altering effects in Eurasia, suggesting it was already widespread from China to Europe by that time.
- The study, published in Science, also includes plans to sequence ancient cannabis DNA, which could reshape understanding of the plant's domestication history.
