Ancient Siberian Tomb Yields Cannabis Exposure Evidence

Researchers have found chemical evidence of psychoactive cannabis exposure in preserved human hair from Tunnug 1, an Iron Age tomb in southern Siberia dating to about 2,800 years ago. The findings, published in Science, provide direct evidence of cannabis use in a funerary setting, although the plant’s precise purpose and how it was consumed remain unknown. The team detected tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the primary psychoactive compound in cannabis, as well as cannabinol in hair samples analyzed with mass spectrometry. More than 1,400 cannabis seeds were recovered at the tomb. Researchers radiocarbon-dated six seeds to the early eighth century BCE, around the period when the burial complex was built. Tunnug 1, in the Uyuk Valley, contains the remains of high-status individuals in a monumental burial mound. The excavation also uncovered evidence of sacrificed horses and possible human sacrifices. Researchers said the concentration of cannabis seeds, including their prominence among plant remains at the site, supports an association with burial practices. Lead study author Gino Caspari said the evidence points to a ritual context, but does not establish the specific role...