Dutch science site Scientias.nl reports on a study led by archaeologist Gino Caspari at a monumental burial site in the Uyuk Valley in southern Siberia. The team found more than 1,400 cannabis seeds, radiocarbon dated to the early eighth century BCE, around the time the site was built. Human hair from the site contained cannabinol, a compound formed when THC breaks down, along with other chemical traces of THC in the body.

The authors call it the earliest reliable evidence of psychoactive cannabis used for cultural and ceremonial purposes. It adds to a growing body of research showing that ancient peoples deliberately altered their minds in ritual settings, a reminder that some religious experiences have very physical roots.

Source: Scientias.nl (Dutch) (2026-11-05)
https://scientias.nl/archeologische-vondst-onthult-dat-cannabis-2-800-jaar-geleden-al-werd-gebruikt-als-geestverruimend-middel/

Summarised by the FTI newsdesk.