According to a new study published in Scientific Reports, human hair found in a cave on the Mediterranean island of Menorca has provided the earliest direct evidence of hallucinogenic drug use in Europe.
The hair, recovered from six wooden containers within the cave, was analyzed by a team of scientists led by Elisa Guerra-Doce of the University of Valladolid in Spain.
The hair was found to contain three psychoactive plant substances that had been ingested and absorbed into the hair over nearly a year, including atropine and scopolamine from nightshade plants, which induce disorientation, hallucinations, and altered physical sensations, as well as ephedrine, which boosts energy and alertness.
These findings suggest that visitors to the cave around 3,000 years ago, possibly shamans who performed spiritual and healing rituals, consumed these plants, known to have mind-altering and vision-inducing effects.
The researchers speculate that as Menorca’s population grew and social changes took place between 3,000 and 2,800 years ago, individuals intent on preserving ancient traditions may have hidden hair and other ritually significant objects in the cave.
The discovery sheds new light on the use of psychoactive substances in ancient societies and provides a glimpse into early Mediterranean cultures’ spiritual and healing practices.
The cave, known as Es Càrritx, had already yielded signs of human activity, including over 200 human graves, which were previously dated to between around 3,600 and 2,800 years ago. However, the hoard of objects found in a small pit within an inner cave chamber, including six wooden containers with locks of human hair, provided new clues to the ancient people’s drug use practices.
The chemical analyses of one container’s locks detected the presence of the three psychoactive plant substances, providing conclusive evidence of drug use.
The researchers believe that shamans who visited the cave would have known how to safely handle and consume these potentially toxic plants. They speculate that the individuals who hid hair and other ritually significant objects at Es Càrritx were trying to preserve ancient traditions as Menorca’s population grew. Social changes took place between 3,000 and 2,800 years ago.
The findings shed light on the early use of psychoactive substances in ancient societies and provide a fascinating glimpse into early Mediterranean cultures’ spiritual and healing practices. The research team hopes that their study will inspire further investigations into the use of psychoactive plants and the role of shamans in ancient societies.
Source: ScienceNews
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