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Here's an analysis of the evidence for cannabis use in ancient rituals and practices, based on the provided sources.
Ancient Cannabis Use: A Step-by-Step Analysis
- Tel Arad Shrine: The discovery of cannabis residue on an altar in an ancient Jewish shrine at Tel Arad, Israel, provides some of the earliest evidence of ritual cannabis use. Chemical analysis revealed that cannabis was mixed with animal dung and burned, likely to release mind-altering fumes.[5] This shrine dates back to roughly 760-715 B.C.[1]
- Jiayi Cemetery Burial: In the Jiayi cemetery in northwestern China, archaeologists found a 2,500-year-old burial where a man's body was covered with a shroud made of 13 cannabis plants.[2] The plants were arranged from the pelvis to the chin, suggesting a ritualistic purpose.[2] The lack of hemp clothing or rope, along with the large seeds, indicates the plants were grown for their psychoactive properties.[2] Radiocarbon dating places this burial between 2800-2400 years old.[3]
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Pazyryk Culture: Cannabis has also been found in graves of the Pazyryk culture in southern Siberia, with evidence of ritualistic or psychoactive usage.[2]
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Yanghai Tombs: The Yanghai Tombs in Xinjiang, China, also provide evidence of cannabis use. Processed cannabis flowers were found in a tomb, suggesting medicinal or ritualistic use.[2] The analysis of the funerary objects in the tomb indicates that the owner was considered to be a shaman.[10]
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Early Silk Road: The knowledge of cannabis use likely spread from eastern and central Asia to Europe along early Silk Road trade routes.[5]
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Widespread Custom: The findings suggest that medicinal, spiritual, or ritualistic cannabis use was a widespread custom among Central Eurasian peoples during the first millennium B.C.[2]
- Other Evidence: Additional evidence includes the discovery of cannabis in the Altai Mountain Pazyryk-culture tomb of a woman who died of breast cancer, potentially using cannabis to cope with symptoms.[2] Also, the discovery of cannabis in wooden braziers during mortuary ceremonies at the Jirzankal Cemetery (ca. 500 BCE) in the eastern Pamirs region suggests cannabis was smoked as part of ritual and/or religious activities in western China by at least 2500 years ago.[4]
In summary, the evidence points to the use of cannabis in ritualistic and potentially medicinal practices in various ancient cultures, including those in the Middle East and Central Asia. The Tel Arad shrine provides some of the earliest evidence of ritual use, while the Jiayi cemetery burial and the Yanghai Tombs offer further insights into the practices of ancient peoples.
Authoritative Sources
- Archaeologists Identify Traces of Burnt Cannabis in Ancient Jewish Shrine. [Smithsonian Magazine]↩
- 2,500-Year-Old Burial Hints at Ancient Cannabis Use. [Live Science]↩
- Ancient Cannabis Burial Shroud in a Central Eurasian Cemetery. [Academia.edu]↩
- The origins of cannabis smoking: Chemical residue evidence from the first millennium BCE in the Pamirs. [Science Advances]↩
- A biblical-era Israeli shrine shows signs of the earliest ritual use of marijuana. [Science News]↩
- 2,500-Year-Old Cannabis Plants Found in Northwestern China. [Archaeology.org]↩
- Judahite Shrine of Tel Arad from 8th century B.C.E. has residue of cannabis and of frankincense. [Biblical Archaeology]↩
- A new insight into Cannabis sativa (Cannabaceae) utilization from 2500-year-old Yanghai Tombs, Xinjiang, China. [Academia.edu]↩
- Well-Preserved, 2,500-Year-Old Marijuana Found at Chinese Tomb. [Atlas Obscura]↩
- A new insight into Cannabis sativa (Cannabaceae) utilization from 2500-year-old Yanghai Tombs, Xinjiang, China. [Journal of Ethnopharmacology]↩
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