Ancient, whole female cannabis plants discovered in a tomb in northwestern China.Courtesy of Economic Botany
Researchers have unearthed 13 cannabis plants in an ancient tomb in northern China, suggesting that prehistoric central Eurasians had ritualistic or medicinal uses for the mind-altering plant.
In a recent paper published in Economic Botany, the scientists say that the "extraordinary cache" of 13 "nearly whole" female cannabis plants were arranged diagonally like a shroud over the body of a dead man. The man was about 35 years old, appeared to be Caucasian and might have been a shaman, they say.
In the tomb, the body was placed on a wooden bed with a "pillow made of common reeds," surrounded by earthenware pots. The plants measured between 19 and 35 inches, and carbon dating indicated that the cemetery is 2,800 to 2,400 years old.
"This is the first time ever that archaeologists have recovered complete cannabis plants, as well as the first incidence of their use as a 'shroud' or covering in a human burial," National Geographic quotes the study's lead author, Hongen Jiang, as saying.
This isn't the first time cannabis has been found at sites in Siberia and northwestern China, according to the researchers. The origins of those previous plants were not clear they might have been transported from other areas. However, the researchers say that the way the plants were placed on this corpse means they were fresh at the time suggesting that the marijuana was likely locally grown.
The tomb lies in northwest China's Turpan Basin, which was "an important stop on the Silk Road," according to the magazine...snip
...Cannabis seeds were also recently discovered in a Siberian tomb of a woman who likely died of breast cancer and may have used cannabis to "cope with the symptoms of her illnesses," the researchers say...snip
Researchers have unearthed 13 cannabis plants in an ancient tomb in northern China ... In the tomb, the body was placed on a wooden bed with a "pillow made of common reeds," surrounded by earthenware pots."
I assume they seized the earthenware pots under asset forfeiture.