Judahite Ritual Offerings at Tel Arad (8th Century BCE): Cannabis and Frankincense

The Archaeological Context

The discovery of burnt cannabis and frankincense on altars within an ancient Jewish shrine at Tel Arad, approximately 35 miles south of Jerusalem, provides significant insights into the religious practices of the Kingdom of Judah during the 8th century BCE.[1] This finding, published in the journal Tel Aviv, marks the first evidence of cannabis use in religious life within the ancient kingdom.[1]

Chemical Analysis and Findings

The Tel Arad site contains remnants of a Canaanite city from the third millennium B.C. and Israelite fortresses dating from the 10th to 6th centuries B.C.[1] The shrine, well-preserved and dated to roughly 760-715 B.C., was where the altars were discovered.[1] These altars, found at the entrance of the shrine's inner sanctum, known as the "holy of holies," contained the remains of burnt plant material.[1] The shrine's architectural similarities to the First Temple in Jerusalem suggest potential parallels in ritual practices.[1]

Significance of the Discovery

Modern chemical analysis techniques were applied to the residues on the altars.[1] The smaller altar contained a mixture of animal dung and cannabis, with sufficient THC (the psychoactive compound in cannabis) to induce a high.[1] The larger altar's residue comprised animal fats and frankincense, the dried sap of trees in the Boswellia genus.[1] The use of animal dung and animal fats suggests they were used to burn the cannabis and frankincense at temperatures that would release their respective mind-altering and fragrant smoke.[1]

Biblical Perspective and Implications

The discovery of cannabis in the Judahite shrine at Tel Arad provides the earliest evidence of its use in the Ancient Near East, suggesting that it played a central role in the cultic rituals performed there.[1] The presence of frankincense, a highly valued trade good, further enriches the understanding of religious practices and trade routes during that time.[2] The researchers speculate that the cannabis may have been imported from somewhere in southeastern Russia or China, and information about its use spread west from Asia along the Silk Road.[1] The use of cannabis in the shrine is believed to have been for the purpose of inducing religious ecstasy.[4]

The findings at Tel Arad have implications for understanding the religious practices of the Judahites and their potential connections to the practices of the First Temple in Jerusalem.[1] The use of cannabis in worship, while not explicitly mentioned in the Bible, aligns with the known use of hallucinogenic materials in other ancient Near Eastern cultures.[3] The discovery also raises questions about the nature of worship and the role of altered states of consciousness in religious experience.[3] The shrine's use of cannabis and frankincense may be linked to the reign of King Ahaz, who is described in the Bible as promoting pagan practices, including the burning of incense.[5]

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