Did Neanderthals Use Drugs? You bet.
Here are the Top 3 from Recent Research
Neanderthals (Homo neanderthalensis) are our closest extinct relatives in the human evolutionary tree. They lived in Europe and Asia from approximately 400,000 to 40,000 years ago. Neanderthals share about 99.7% of their DNA with modern humans (Homo sapiens), making us very closely related species. In fact, it is believed that interbreeding between Neanderthals and early modern humans occurred multiple times in the past, contributing to around 1–4% of the genetic makeup of non-African modern human populations today.
Despite their close relationship with us, Neanderthals have long been shrouded in mystery due to their extinction and our limited understanding of their lifestyle, culture, and cognitive abilities. However, recent archaeological discoveries, such as the one reported in the study published in Scientific Reports, are shedding new light on their fascinating history.
The study found that Neanderthals used drugs derived from nightshade plants, specifically ephedrine, scopolamine, and atropine. These substances have various effects, including stimulation, hallucinations, and out-of-body experiences. The researchers also discovered painted boxes in the cave, which could have been created by Neanderthals while under the influence of these drugs.
The discovery of drug use among Neanderthals challenges our traditional view of them as simple, unsophisticated beings. Instead, it suggests that they were curious and experimental, just like us. The use of drugs for medicinal or spiritual purposes was a practice that likely predated modern humans, and the finding underscores the deep connections between our evolutionary past and present.
The study also emphasizes the need for further research to understand the implications of these findings in the context of early human and hominin populations. By studying Neanderthal behavior and their use of drugs, we can gain new insights into our shared ancestry and the rich history of human evolution.
While some might assume drug use is a modern practice, this study reveals a different story. Giorgio Samorini, an ethnobotanist who was unrelated to the study, noted that people may have used drugs for existential purposes rather than just for the sake of getting high.
In a related study, Hardy et al. (2012) identified compounds from two non-nutritional plants, yarrow and camomile, in a sample of Neanderthal dental calculus from El Sidrón, Spain. These plants have little nutritional value but are well known for their medicinal qualities. The researchers proposed that these plants were deliberately selected and ingested for self-medication purposes.
Their Favorite Drugs
Yarrow-Ancient Tylenol
Yarrow is a widely distributed herbaceous perennial plant, belonging to the daisy family (Asteraceae). It is known for its therapeutic properties and has been used in traditional medicine for centuries due to its anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, analgesic, diaphoretic, and diuretic effects. In addition, yarrow has hemostatic properties, which can help stop bleeding. These qualities make it an essential remedy for various ailments such as wounds, pain, fever, and digestive issues.
Neanderthals may have used yarrow to treat injuries or illnesses they encountered during their daily lives. The fact that this plant was found in Neanderthal dental calculus suggests that it was consumed regularly, likely in the form of a tea or decoction. This discovery underscores the importance of understanding the context and significance of archaeological findings to gain insights into our shared ancestry and the rich history of human evolution. The use of yarrow by Neanderthals adds to the growing body of evidence that our extinct relatives were more complex and sophisticated than previously believed, capable of harnessing the power of plants for their survival and well-being.
Ephedrine — Ancient Meth
Ephedrine is a powerful alkaloid found in various plants, including the Ephedra plant or Ma Huang, which has been used for thousands of years in traditional Chinese medicine. It acts as a decongestant, bronchodilator, and stimulant to the central nervous system.
Neanderthals’ use of ephedrine is significant because it suggests that they had a sophisticated understanding of plants and their medicinal properties. The substance would have provided them with energy, focus, and relief from respiratory issues, making it an invaluable resource for survival. Moreover, the discovery of painted boxes in the cave could indicate that Neanderthals used ephedrine or other drugs as part of their spiritual practices. The presence of these artifacts suggests a complex societal structure and cultural traditions.
The use of ephedrine also emphasizes the importance of interpreting archaeological findings in context, rather than viewing our ancestors through a narrow lens. Neanderthals were not just primitive beings but adaptable, intelligent, and resourceful individuals who contributed significantly to human evolution.
Scopolamine-Ancient Hallucinogen
Neanderthals’ use of drugs was not limited to ephedrine alone; they also consumed scopolamine, another potent alkaloid derived from nightshade plants. Scopolamine is a powerful anticholinergic, which means it blocks the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, affecting memory, attention, and perception. Although it is not quite clear which plant they may have used to acquire scopolamine, common plants used by ancient peoples include Belladonna and Datura stramonium (jimsonweed), which are quite dangerous because the lethal dose is very close to the dose needed to achieve a “high” state. Because of this and the fact that the concentration in Neanderthal hair samples was so high, this suggests a very sophisticated knowledge of preparation and dosing.
The effects of scopolamine can be quite profound. It produces hallucinations, delirium, amnesia, and can even induce an out-of-body experience. The use of this drug may have served multiple purposes for Neanderthals — as a tool for spiritual practices or as a means to alter consciousness during painful or laborious tasks.
Scopolamine’s discovery in Neanderthal remains adds to the growing body of evidence suggesting that our extinct relatives were more complex and sophisticated than previously believed. It also highlights the potential role of plants in shaping human evolution through their use for medicinal, spiritual, or even survival purposes.
What about Mushrooms?
Mushroom DNA has been found in Neanderthal teeth tartar, suggesting they enjoyed eating fungus as much as we did. However, the most common mushroom species to have been eaten seems to be gray shag, which is not a traditionally psychedelic mushroom. It has been suggested by various proponents of the Stoned Ape theory that our cousins may have consumed Amanita Muscaria or mushrooms of the psylocibe family, which are the two prominent psychoactive types of mushrooms, but definitive proof has not been found. One of the possible clues to this is the explosion of psilocybin content in mushrooms beginning about 200,000 years ago, suggesting some species were favoring it, spreading stronger variations of it as migration patterns evolved.
While the jury is still out on more traditional drugs and pharmacological compounds we modern humans have learned to cultivate, this is a very young field of research and we are just now beginning to grasp the scale and complexity of neanderthal pharmacology. It will be interesting to find out more as increasingly technical archaeological methods reveal these findings in greater detail.
