Ancient Culture Used Hallucinogens as Control Device, Study Claims
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Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways
An international team of archaeologists has revealed the role hallucinogenic drugs played in one ancient culture, according to a study published this week in Proceedings of the National Academies of Science.
South American archaeologists working in conjunction with those from the University of Florida and California's Stanford University discovered 'ancient snuff tubes' hidden deep within the stone structures at Chavín de Huántar, a prehistoric ceremonial site tucked deep inside the Peruvian mountains. The land was previously home to the Chavin people (900–250 B.C.), a culture within the Andes which pre-dated the Incas. After chemical and microscopic analyses of the contents within the snuff tubes, scientists revealed remnants of nicotine from 'wild relatives of tobacco' as well as vilca bean residue. Vilca bean is a hallucinogen which contains properties similar to DMT.
Related: Construction Workers Discover 'Skeleton' of Medieval Ship
While it was common for ancient civilizations to engage in communal use of hallucinogens, it appears that their use by the Chavin culture was largely private. The snuff tubes were found in private quarters deep within the massive stone structures, the rooms so small they could only hold a handful of people at once. 'Taking psychoactives was not just about seeing visions,' explained study co-author Daniel Contreras. 'It was part of a tightly controlled ritual, likely reserved for a select few, reinforcing the social hierarchy.'
Related: Archaeologists Find Chilling Scene During Pompeii Excavation
Contreras added that the rulers of the community used hallucinogens as something of a control device for those lucky enough to partake. 'The supernatural world isn't necessarily friendly, but it's powerful,' Contreras said. 'These rituals, often enhanced by psychoactives, were compelling, transformative experiences that reinforced belief systems and social structures.'
Contreras posited that the private ceremonies were integral to the Chavin community and may have shaped the culture's notable contributions to agriculture, craft production, and trade in the region. 'It's exciting that ongoing excavations can be combined with cutting-edge archaeological science techniques to get us closer to understanding what it was like to live at this site.'
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