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| Figure 1: Brazier (Source: Science Mag and Xinhua Wu) |
As an anthropology instructor my students inquire on a fair
number of anthropological topics. This
is in part why I started this blog, to act a repository of information on
topics that they ask about but that I may not have an immediate answer to. Today’s blog post answers one such question
that I was not able to answer previously regarding the origins and use of
marijuana (popularly referred to as Mary Jane, weed, pot, and a litany of other
names that I cannot remember because the drug lexicon is always growing).
Earlier this year a team of German and Chinese scientists
formally announced the discovery of the first potent strains of cannabis
through an accidental discovery.
Archaeologists Yimin and Ren Meng of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in
Beijing were excavating a burial in the Jirzankal Cemetery (also called Quman
Cemetery) on the Pamir Plateau of western China when they made the
discovery. During their excavation they
discovered a series of curious burial goods in the burial chamber that contained
eight deceased individuals. These burial
goods were wooden burners, known as braziers (Figure 1), which contained stones
and an unknown substance. The unknown
substance was tested chemically through the use of gas chromatography and mass
spectrometry by German scientists to determine what specifically they were, and
it was discovered that the substance was marijuana and not just that but a very
potent, psychoactive version of the plant.
This discovery is important because it was already known that
cannabis was being cultivated for several millennia (beginning around 4000 BC),
but it was not positively identified as to when it was first used as for
psychoactive purposes (meaning, when humans realized that they could consume it
to get high). Early cannabis plants
contained very low levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the compound
responsible for producing the high, and these plants were largely used for the
production of oil and fibers for making clothing and ropes. This discovery at the Jirzankal Cemetery
demonstrates that cannabis plants with THC levels consistent with plants found
today existed at least 2500 years ago (at approximately 500 B.C.). It is unclear why the cannabis was burned,
although hypotheses suggest it may have been used for ritual or medicinal
purposes. Its presence in the tomb may
have been for ritual or to mask the smell of the decomposing remains of the
eight deceased individuals within the tomb.
This discovery comes just after another discovery that
identified the geographical origins of cannabis, which are cited as being the
Tibetan Plateau. Early cannabis plants
have been found throughout archaeological sites in Asia. What remains unclear from these two separate
studies is what caused the low level THC cannabis plants to evolve to contain
more THC, particularly at levels that caused it to become a psychoactive
plant. Scholars are unsure if this was a
case of natural selection where unfavorable environmental conditions favored
higher levels of THC in the plant, or if there was a purposeful, artificial
selection among early Asians who cultivated the plant. This matter is yet to be decided upon. What is clear, though, is a more solid date
for when cannabis went from a plant strictly for food and fibrous construction
to one that could be used for mind altering purposes, as well as where cannabis
first originated.
Bibliography
Bower, B. (2019, June 12). People may have smoked
marijuana in rituals 2,500 years ago in western China. Retrieved from
Science News:
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/evidence-marijuana-smoking-rituals-ancient-western-china
Geggel, L. (2019, June 12). People Smoked Pot to
Get High at Least 2,500 Years Ago. Retrieved from Live Science:
https://www.livescience.com/65701-ancient-marijuana-high-thc-content.html
Huang, P. (2019, June 15). Pass The Brazier:
Early Evidence Of Cannabis Smoking Found On Chinese Artifacts. Retrieved
from National Public Radio:
https://www.npr.org/2019/06/15/732084138/pass-the-brazier-early-evidence-of-cannabis-smoking-found-on-chinese-artifacts
Lawler, A. (2019, June 12). Oldest evidence of
marijuana use discovered in 2500-year-old cemetery in peaks of western China.
Retrieved from Science Magazine:
https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2019/06/oldest-evidence-marijuana-use-discovered-2500-year-old-cemetery-peaks-western-china
Max Planck Institute for the
Science of Human History. (2019, June 12). Origins of cannabis smoking:
Evidence from ancient burials at high elevations. ScienceDaily.
Retrieved July 17, 2019 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/06/190612165603.htm
11 comments:
I never knew that the plant was strictly for food and fibrous construction. I would like to learn more about this in class. Today you'd see teens and adults abusing the drug because they can and not knowing what it was originally made for. Great topic Dr.Boston!
-Jasmine Busby
Which is true (jasmine)THC is being abused by humans satisfaction which should be able to hurt humans but is made to be diagnosed into oils and fibers for making clothes. For THC to actually be mind altering purposes which could be to ease or make you think more then your usual self. I wanna find out how the THC increased to be strong enough for an high effect.
- Crystal Riley
You learn something new every day, I never knew any of this. The fact that it was originally created to produce oils and make clothing and rope and now it't being used for people to smoke. I wonder what made some one decide to smoke it it? This was a very interesting post.
-Kyla Thomas
I also never knew that cannabis was strictly for food and fibrous construction. It's interesting how over the years it has become a drug substance and is now being abused by many people. -Malalia Siafa-Bangura
How did the people know to smoke it? Why did they not think they marijuana would do any harm to them and i ask that because of course till this day it is being smoked and not used strictly for food and clothes. - castrele hoy
Now that I know that Cannibus has been around and cultivated since 4000 BC, I wonder if it was being ingested as a drug the same time as the first time opium was. I think people were smoking Cannibus before even realizing it had effects on the body, but it was for sure known that it could be used for clothing and rope.
- Chyann Taylor
You learn something new. I never would of thought it was made for oils or for food or clothes. but how did they use it for food and not notice getting "high"? but i think the plant was made through natural selection and it's just something they came across.
- lavonza marshall
Yes, Marijuana has BEEN around for quite some time. This aligns with the knowledge I have of the plant and it’s chemicals/other properties. There are actually I believe, 4 originating plants called Landraces that only occur naturally in a couple places, that all strains of the plant come from. I would say the diminishing THC levels (and in some cases the heightening of) come from the multitude and varying and constant ongoing splicing and mating of strains creating hybrids of the two plant types. As well as the way the plants are cultivated. When something has existed for so long it’s bound to diminish because you also have persons who find means to make it cheaper and less (psycho)active, or less pleasant. However I can also agree that the original definition and uses of the plant are unknown. I think it would be fair to say that there was never one use for the plant it just had its moments where it was used more for one thing than others. The oldest uses contain medicinal and ritualistic but you can also find art/literature of it being used in what looks recreational. The uncertainty of old languages and symbols play into this mystery as well. This was an addition to my knowledge of its origins, I enjoyed this addition. -Jesse Logan
Who would have thought cannabis was used a one point for strictly food ? Its amazing how certain things change and evolve overtime. Ironically THC can be produced in foods, so in a way cannabis is still being used for its original purpose.
Hi Dr. Boston,
I was not expecting this information when I clicked on this particular supplemental source for the chapter. This is very interesting to me as I did not know how far back the cannabis plant dates. I particularly found it most interesting when it said the smell was often used to mask the smell of dying bodies, that it was used in rituals, this is like blowing my mind. I wonder if the plant looked anything like it does today and if the potency of the THC back then is anywhere close to what they are producing for medicinal purposes now. Do you know if there were other purposes for the plant during that period of time?
This is a pretty neat discovery, especially because it was accidental. It is incredible that science, like gas chromatography, has been developed where we can make discoveries on things that are quite ancient. I would like to know if more evidence suggests that, during that time frame, if they were using it to get high or just to cover up the smell.
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