Siberian burial mound dating back 2,800 years shows oldest traces of cannabis use

Archaeologists discovered cannabis seeds and human hair with chemical traces of cannabis in a 2,800-year-old Scythian tomb in Siberia. The tomb, located in the Uyuk Valley, belonged to high-ranking members of the Scythian culture, known for their equestrian warfare and goldsmithing. Cannabis has been used for various purposes for thousands of years, including as a psychoactive substance. Gino Caspari from the University of Bern states that evidence of cannabis consumption in the past is rare due to the preservation challenges of organic materials. This research, published in Science, provides the earliest evidence of cannabis use for consumption, supported by the discovery of over 1,400 seeds at a burial site.