Archaeologists have made a notable discovery about early human interaction with substances. Two ancient skulls found in Indonesia unveil evidence that challenges previously known timelines of drug usage. These skulls, belonging to hunter-gatherers who lived up to 25,000 years ago, exhibit deep grooves on their teeth. Scientists attribute these grooves to the activity of betel nut consumption.
Dating back between 16,000 and 25,000 years, an individual’s molars found in a cave on Sulawesi island show signs of repetitive sucking on betel nuts. These nuts, also known as areca nuts, release psychoactive stimuli. Currently, over 600 million people still chew betel nuts for their stimulant effects.
Prior to this finding, the use of psychoactive substances like fermented alcoholic drinks and plant-based psychedelics was confirmed. However, the oldest known drug use evidence was the brewing of beer in Israel around 13,000 years ago. This new discovery extends the record of pharmacological experimentation by 3,000 to 12,000 years, according to research published in Science Advances.
“Human use of psychoactive plants, in particular, was a lot more common in the ancient past than we can appreciate at the moment,” stated Adam Brumm, a professor at the Australian Research Center for Human Evolution at Griffith University.
The study’s findings suggest that consuming substances with psychoactive effects was a deeply ingrained aspect of ancient human behavior. Betel nut, depicted in historical contexts, still remains popular today. Understanding this behavior offers a broader perspective on human history and development.
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