Archaeologists have uncovered the oldest direct evidence of psychoactive cannabis use, detecting cannabinoids, including weaker signals consistent with THC, in preserved human hair from a 2,800-year-old Scythian burial mound in Siberia. The findings, published in Science, provide early direct evidence that people at the site were exposed to cannabis with mind-altering properties.
The discovery comes from Tunnug 1, a royal kurgan in Siberia's Uyuk Valley dating to the early eighth century BCE. The tomb contained elaborate grave goods, dozens of sacrificed horses, and remains of six elite individuals, along with more than 1,000 cannabis seeds scattered around the bodies.
An international team led by archaeologist Gino Caspari of the University of Bern and the Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology analysed hair samples from the burials using mass spectrometry. The results showed clear chemical signatures of cannabinol (CBN), a breakdown product of THC, and weaker signals consistent with THC itself, the primary psychoactive compound in cannabis.
“People have been speculating a lot about psychoactive use of cannabis in the past, but to actually pin it down and prove it with soft tissue evidence of the humans involved — that is something very special,” Caspari said in an interview. Caspari said the molecular traces in the hair and cannabis seeds came from the same grave and suggested that cannabis was used for its intoxicating properties.
The tomb is among the earliest known royal burials of the Scythians, a horse-riding culture that spread across much of the Eurasian steppes. The Greek historian Herodotus described Scythian rituals involving the burning of cannabis in enclosed spaces, and residues had been found before, but direct evidence of consumption had remained elusive.
Caspari noted that the funerary context suggests a ritual purpose. The mound also contained evidence of human sacrifice, and the researchers propose the plant may have been used to calm individuals who were to be included in the rituals. “It might be advantageous to have them dosed a little bit, at least, to make the procedure a bit more humane, if you will,” Caspari said, though he stressed this remains speculative.
The team has already begun sequencing DNA from the ancient seeds, aiming to trace the domestication history of cannabis and potentially shed light on modern strains. “Having DNA that's almost 3,000 years old, we will be able to take that step back into the past and see what an unaltered cannabis would have looked like,” Caspari said.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- Provides the earliest securely dated direct evidence that humans consumed cannabis for its psychoactive effects, confirming a long-held assumption.
- Illuminates the ritual and possibly coercive use of drugs in ancient funerary practices, including human sacrifice.
- Ancient DNA from the seeds could help reconstruct the domestication history of cannabis and inform modern breeding and medical applications.
Background
The Uyuk Valley in southern Siberia, sometimes called the Valley of the Kings, contains numerous Scythian burial mounds from the early Iron Age. The Scythians were a nomadic horse-riding culture that emerged around the 9th century BCE and became a major force across Eurasia. Cannabis grows naturally across temperate Central Asia, and historical accounts by Herodotus describe Scythian use of the plant in purification and mortuary rituals. Previous archaeological evidence had been limited to residues and seeds, without confirming actual consumption.
What to Watch
- Analysis of ancient cannabis DNA: results could reveal whether the plants were wild or domesticated, and what genetic traits were present before modern selective breeding.
- Further excavations at Tunnug 1 and other Scythian tombs may yield more hair samples or residues to confirm the pattern of use.
- The study could spark debate about the ethics and accuracy of interpreting drug use in sacrificial contexts.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 2 sources: 12 supported.
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- SupportedThe hair findings are the earliest direct evidence of psychoactive cannabis use.ScienceAlert: “provide the earliest securely dated direct evidence yet of psychoactive cannabis use.”
- SupportedCannabinoids, including weaker signals consistent with THC, were detected in preserved hair from a 2,800-year-old Scythian tomb.ScienceAlert: “In every one of the hair samples they tested, the results revealed clear chemical signals matching cannabinol (CBN) ... The researchers also detected much weaker signals consistent with THC itself.”
- SupportedThe findings suggest the people were exposed to cannabis for its intoxicating effects.ScienceAlert: “Together, the findings provide compelling evidence that these ancient people had been exposed to psychoactive cannabis – likely on purpose.”
- SupportedTunnug 1 is in Siberia’s Uyuk Valley and dates to around the early eighth century BCE.ScienceAlert: “Dating to around the early eighth century BCE, the monument is among the earliest known royal tombs associated with the Scythians”
- SupportedMore than 1,000 cannabis seeds were found in and around the human burials.ScienceAlert: “In and around the human burials, archaeologists discovered an extraordinary quantity of cannabis seeds – more than 1,000”
- SupportedThe tomb held six elite individuals and remains of dozens of sacrificed horses.404 Media: “Six elite individuals are interred in the interior of the royal mound inside several tree-trunk coffins and wooden structures.”
- SupportedThe international study was led by Gino Caspari, with the University of Bern and Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology affiliations, and researchers used mass spectrometry on hair samples.404 Media: “Gino Caspari, an archaeologist at the Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology and the University of Bern who led the study”
- SupportedCaspari said: “People have been speculating a lot about psychoactive use of cannabis in the past, but to actually pin it down and prove it with soft tissue evidence of the humans involved—that is something very special.”404 Media: ““People have been speculating a lot about psychoactive use of cannabis in the past, but to actually pin it down and prove it with soft tissue evidence of the humans involved—that is something very special.””
- SupportedCaspari said the hair traces and cannabis seeds came from the same grave and suggested intoxicating use.ScienceAlert: “"The molecular traces in the hair and the cannabis seeds come from the same grave and suggest that cannabis was used for its intoxicating properties," Caspari says .”
- SupportedCaspari said the funerary context suggests a ritual aspect, and the idea that cannabis could have calmed people facing sacrifice remains speculative.404 Media: ““It being in a burial context, of course, there's a ritual aspect to it,” Caspari explained. “It might be a little bit more sinister, but this is speculation.””
- SupportedCaspari said it might be advantageous to dose people to make the procedure more humane.404 Media: ““It might be advantageous to have them dosed a little bit, at least, to make the procedure a bit more humane, if you will.””
- SupportedThe team has begun sequencing ancient cannabis seeds to investigate domestication and potentially inform understanding of modern strains.404 Media: ““We've already sequenced part of the seeds to unravel and disentangle the domestication history,” Caspari said.”
