Archaeologists Discover Cannabis Residues On 2,700-Year-Old Biblical Shrine

Like many psychoactive plants, cannabis has been used as a spiritual sacrament by various cultures worldwide for thousands of years, and new research suggests that it may have facilitated communion with the gods in the biblical Kingdom of Judah. Rather than rolling up a sacred spliff or sucking on a biblical bong, however, it seems that worshippers mixed the plant with animal dung before setting it alight to release cannabinoids into the air.In a new study in the journal Tel Aviv, a team of archaeologists describe how they found cannabis residues on an Iron Age shrine known as the ‘Holy of Holies’, which dates back to around 750 BCE[i]. Located inside the fortress mound of Tel Arad, which guarded the Judahite kingdom’s southern border, the shrine was first excavated back in the 1960s, when researchers noted the presence of an unknown black substance on the surface of the altar.Using a technique called gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, a group of scientists have finally identified this strange religious resin, which was found to contain both THC and CBD. Results also revealed the presence of cannabinol (CBN), which forms when THC degrades, as well as a range of terpenes belonging to the Cannabis sativa plant, such as β-caryophyllene and borneol.These cannabis residues were found to be mixed with the excrement of an unidentified animal, probably to help it burn. Given this choice of kindling, it seems highly unlikely that this makeshift incense was being used for its smell, indicating that worshippers must have been…

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Source : seedman
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