Ancient Pot Stash found in Chinese Tomb

Ancient Pot Stash found in Chinese Tomb

www.myfoxchattanooga.com

Researchers have uncovered the world's oldest marijuana stash in a remote part of China, according to an article in the Journal of Experimental Botany.

About 789 grams of high-potency pot was buried alongside a light-haired, blue-eyed Caucasian man approximately 2,700 years ago, the researchers said.

The article states that extremely dry conditions and alkaline soil acted as preservatives, allowing the researchers to carefully analyze the pot.

"To our knowledge, these investigations provide the oldest documentation of cannabis as a pharmacologically active agent," wrote the paper's lead author, American neurologist Dr. Ethan B. Russo.

Because of the good condition of the marijuana, the researchers were able to perform a battery of tests on it and were able to determine it contained a relatively high level of THC, the main active ingredient in cannabis.

The stash was found in a leather basket and in a wooden bowl, according to the paper, and was likely meant to be used by the shaman in the afterlife. There were no clues, however, as to whether the marijuana was to be smoked or ingested.

"This materially is unequivocally cannabis, and no material has previously had this degree of analysis possible," Russo told the Toronto Star.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Researchers have uncovered the world's oldest marijuana stash in a remote part of China, according to an article in the Journal of Experimental Botany.

About 789 grams of high-potency pot was buried alongside a light-haired, blue-eyed Caucasian man approximately 2,700 years ago, the researchers said.

The article states that extremely dry conditions and alkaline soil acted as preservatives, allowing the researchers to carefully analyze the pot.

"To our knowledge, these investigations provide the oldest documentation of cannabis as a pharmacologically active agent," wrote the paper's lead author, American neurologist Dr. Ethan B. Russo.

Because of the good condition of the marijuana, the researchers were able to perform a battery of tests on it and were able to determine it contained a relatively high level of THC, the main active ingredient in cannabis.

The stash was found in a leather basket and in a wooden bowl, according to the paper, and was likely meant to be used by the shaman in the afterlife. There were no clues, however, as to whether the marijuana was to be smoked or ingested.

"This materially is unequivocally cannabis, and no material has previously had this degree of analysis possible," Russo told the Toronto Star.

This is pretty wild. I'm not sure which is more wild though... the fact that high potency marijuana was farmed and used 2,700 years ago, or the fact that this man was light skin'ed caucasion with blue eyes.



www.myfoxchattanooga.com
(visit the link for the full news article)


EDIT: The mods have stated that there is another thread about this somewhere... but the link below goes 404 on me.

Anyone know where the actual thread is? I'd like to discuss it.

Or was it moved as part of some conspiracy? :-)

[edit on 4-12-2008 by HunkaHunka]

Stand by for link to existing discussion.

Previous link was to R.A.T.S. - Really Above Top Secret.

[edit on 4-12-2008 by elevatedone]