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Earliest Evidence of Drug Use Found in Ancient Teeth
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In Short: Scientists have discovered the oldest known evidence of habitual drug use in humans, dating back up to 25,000 years, in teeth found in Indonesia.
Scientists have uncovered the earliest evidence of drug use in humans, dating back up to 25,000 years, in teeth found in Indonesia, according to a new study published in New Scientist. The findings, led by Adam Brumm at Griffith University in Brisbane, Australia, reveal that ancient hunter-gatherers were already using psychoactive substances, specifically betel nuts, to alter brain function.
The teeth, part of a more complete skull, showed signs of the person having sucked on whole betel nuts, likely to release pain-relieving compounds. 'What really intrigued me was the presence of these bizarre grooves in the teeth,' says Brumm. The damage was so severe that the teeth were worn down to the nerve centres, causing significant pain.
Brumm and his team found traces of arecoline, a psychoactive compound found in betel nuts, on the ancient teeth. This reinforced their hypothesis that the grooves were caused by sucking betel nuts. 'We really don’t know much about the origins of our most widely used psychoactive substances, so to find that, up to 25,000 years ago, hunter-gatherers were already addicted to plants that alter human brain function, I think that’s fascinating,' says Brumm.
The discovery represents the oldest archaeological evidence of habitual drug use in humans, predating the earliest-known beer-brewing. The teeth, which are up to 25,000 years old, show signs of regular use, as the teeth were worn down in some places, exposing their nerve centres. This must have been done on a regular basis, as the teeth were so worn down that they caused severe pain.
According to reports, the findings also reveal that the practice of using betel nuts for psychoactive effects was not limited to a specific period. Teeth uncovered in Indonesia that are up to 6,000 to 8,000 years old also show similar grooves and traces of arecoline, indicating that the use of betel nuts for drug purposes was a long-standing tradition among ancient humans.
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- The team then excavated a different cave site on the island and found another set of teeth, this time about 6000 to 8000 years old, with the same unusual grooves.
Sources
- New Scientistlink