Prehistoric man found buried in a cannabis shroud

A man surrounded by cannabis plants was found in a prehistoric tomb in China, a discovery that suggests that the a plant traditionally used in rituals.

The remains of the man, who died at the age of 35, were found wrapped in 13 plants in the Turpan cemetery in northwestern China. Archaeologists say the plants, which were up to one meter long, appeared to have been arranged like a «funeral shroud.» Carbon-14 dating estimates the tomb to be between 2,400 and 2,800 years old.

In the newspaper Economic Botany, archaeologist Dr. Hongen Jianf of the Beijing Academy of Sciences described the discovery as «extraordinary.».

«The research discussed in this paper describes 13 nearly complete cannabis plants, which appear to have been locally produced and deliberately arranged for the burial shroud that was placed over the man’s body,» he said. «This unique discovery provides new insights into the ritual uses of cannabis during prehistory in Central Eurasia.».

He adds that, when combined with cannabis fragments found in other graves in the region, the discovery reveals that «cannabis was used by the inhabitants of Central Eurasia for rituals and medical purposes» during that period. The plants found were covered with trichomes, the glands of the cannabis plant that produce and contain cannabinoids such as THC, which also suggests that the plant was used for its psychoactive effects; it was consumed in the form of resin, which was then burned as incense or added to beverages.

Details of the cannabis found

The man was lying on a wooden bed, his head resting on a reed pillow. The roots of cannabis plants were placed near her pelvis, while the tops of the plants reached her face.

National Geographic magazine reports that the tomb provides clear evidence that cannabis was «very popular» in the Eurasian steppe during prehistoric times.

The tomb is associated with the Subeixi culture, also known as the Gushi Kingdom, which existed in the region between 3,000 and 2,000 years ago. The Turpan Oasis, where the discovery was made, was an important stop on the Silk Road connecting China to Western Europe.