The bag—which has been dated to around 1,000 years ago—contains traces of several psychoactive substances.
Throughout the course of human history, cultures around the world have used all manner of substances derived from plants to induce altered states of consciousness. But while we have plentiful evidence for the consumption of alcohol and coffee dating back thousands of years, the same cannot be said for other psychoactive compounds, despite their long tradition of use.
“This is a very remote region of southwestern Bolivia,” José Capriles, lead author of study and an anthropologist from Pennsylvania State University, told Newsweek. “One of the co-directors of the project did some work there for a large mining project in the early 2000s. He found a number of early, pre-ceramic sites. The region was clearly significant so we organized to explore it, trying to find caves and rock shelters.
“So the ritual bundle is basically a leather bag which has a string knot on its top and it contains two snuffing tablets, two bone spatulas, a textile headband, a snuffing tube, an anthropomorphic figurine, a leather pouch composed of three fox snouts sewed together and fragments of plant and vegetable tissue,” he said.
“There are a series of psychoactive compounds found in plants that have been used especially in the Amazonian region but now we also know in the Andes,” Capriles said. “[Finding this number of substances together] is the unprecedented thing.”
Singapore Latest News, Singapore Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Ancient Bolivian Fox-Snout Pouch Contained Cocaine And Other Hallucinogenic DrugsA unique bundle of ritual items points to hallucinogenic drug use one millennium ago in Bolivia.
Read more »
Ancient Egyptian tomb discovered near Giza pyramids belonging to High Priest and 'purifier' of King KhafreEgypt's Ministry of Antiquities said the discovery should showcase Egypt's 'true image' and 'power' to the world.
Read more »
Clues to ancient migration route of first humans out of Africa discovered near Red SeaWe found evidence of hominin settlement in the Sudanese Red Sea area in the form of stone artifacts that suggests this region was a key early dispersal corridor—and possibly the first.
Read more »
Coach Is Having A 30% Off Sale On Bags, So It's Time To Secure The Bag For You And Your MomOne bag for your mom, and one for you.
Read more »
Explainer: What to watch for - Thailand's Brahmin and Buddhist coronation ritualsThe three-day coronation of Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn this weeken...
Read more »
Elaborate pageantry and ritual of Thai king's coronationBANGKOK (AP) — The official coronation of Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn , who is also known as Rama X, involves months of rituals that will culminate in three days of elaborate pageantry,...
Read more »
Newly crowned Thai king grants titles on 2nd day of ritualsBANGKOK (AP) — Thailand's newly crowned King Maha Vajiralongkorn on Sunday performed the second day of coronation activities, granting new titles to members of the royal family in front of an...
Read more »
Unreal Archaeology - How The Ancient World Is Being Recreated In Virtual RealityArchaeologists are using new digital tools to reconstruct the ancient world.
Read more »
Jawbone found in a Tibetan cave expands the known territory of ancient DenisovansA fossilized chunk of jawbone found on China's Tibetan plateau once belonged to a Denisovan, a mysterious ancient relative of Neanderthals.
Read more »
First evidence of ancient humans called Denisovans found outside of their caveA 160,000-year-old Denisovan jawbone fossil has been found in a cave on the Tibetan plateau, according to a new study. This marks the first evidence of Denisovans found outside Denisova Cave in Siberia since the mysterious ancient human group was discovered in 2010.
Read more »
Scientists find cocaine in UK shrimpResearchers in the UK have found traces of illicit drugs, pharmaceuticals and pesticides in samples of freshwater shrimp.
Read more »