What Kinds Of Drugs Were Used In Ancient Times?

Our ancestors used drugs to transcend the material world and deal with the fear of death. Drugs were seen as a way to connect with the spiritual and metaphysical aspects of life and were incorporated into rituals and social rites. Unlike today, where drugs are viewed as something to be prevented due to abuse and crime, ancient societies integrated drugs into their culture and religious ceremonies. New findings suggest that the use of drugs was widespread across various ancient civilizations and was not limited to religious or medicinal uses. Evidence of international drug trade as early as 1000 BCE indicates extensive usage.

Indigenous people in America used hallucinogenic drugs as early as 9000 BCE. The Inca, Maya, Olmecs, and Aztecs used psychoactive plants in spiritual rituals. This practice was also common in other American cultures, especially in Mesoamerica. The Maya used cane toads, an intoxicating drink called “balche” (a plant-based drink), and mushrooms to alter their state of consciousness. The Aztecs used flowers like Ololiuqui and Tlitliltzin and concoctions for recreational and spiritual purposes. Coca leaves were used for 8000 years in Mesoamerica for religious ceremonies.

In China, fermented beverages were used as early as the 7th millennium BCE, and fermented drinks were common. Prehistoric cave paintings in Algeria show the use of psychedelic drugs as early as 8000 BCE. Cannabis was used in China around 3000 BCE, and opium in Sumer around 5000 BCE. Cannabis was used for medical and recreational purposes in Mesopotamia and Egypt. The use of opium spread from Sumer to various ancient civilizations, including Egypt, Greece, and Rome. The Greeks and Romans used opium in drinks and certain sea bream fish for altered states of consciousness. Areca and betel nuts were used throughout Asia and were brought to the Mediterranean during the Renaissance. The writings of Homer, Ovid, and even Shakespeare describe drug use.

Oldest liquid wine found in Spain

In Carmona, Andalusia, Spain, a team of researchers from the University of Córdoba, led by Professor José Rafael Ruiz Arrebola, discovered a glass urn containing a reddish liquid, identified as the oldest liquid wine ever found, dating back about 2,000 years. This “breaks” the previous record, when liquid wine was discovered that was “only” 1,500 years old (i.e., in the 19th century, from the 4th century).

The urn was found in a Roman burial structure that was accidentally uncovered in 2019 during home renovations. The researchers analyzed the liquid using a series of chemical tests and confirmed it was wine by detecting seven polyphenols found in modern wines from the same region. The liquid’s pH level was 7.5, close to that of water, and the polyphenols matched those found in white wines from the area.

The burial structure contained eight burial niches with urns made of limestone, sandstone, glass, and lead. Each urn contained the skeletal remains of an individual, and two of the urns bore the names “Hispanae” and “Senicio.” The urn with the wine also included the cremated bones of a man, a gold ring with a double-headed Janus, and metal remnants of a cremation bed. The findings provide insights into Roman funeral rituals, including gender-specific practices. The wine, jewelry, and perfume found in the urns were part of burial items intended to accompany the deceased on their journey to the afterlife. The exceptional preservation of the urn and wine is a testament to advanced Roman storage and preservation techniques and the unique environmental conditions that allowed their preservation for nearly 2,000 years.

My note: it could be that these graves were opened and closed during the feast of the dead that was held in this mausoleum, and the liquid wine is not an offering that was buried with the dead, but rather the remains of a feast that for some reason were not removed from the place, or buried together with the dead under one or another circumstance…