Cannabis: Lost Sacrament of the Ancient World

In 2020 archeologists examining a 2,800 year old temple site in Arad, Jerusalem, revealed that cannabis resins had been burnt on an altar in a small enclosed chamber. Another find of cannabis used for medical purposes both topically and burnt were recovered at a 4th century CE site in Bet Shemesh Israel, testifying to the use of cannabis in the region over a 1,200 year period.

In the 1900s the Russian archeologist Victor Sarianidi uncovered 3 large 4,000 year old temple sites in the Bactria Margiana Archeological Complex, and claimed evidence of cannabis, ephedra and poppy in the preparation of the sacred drinks of the Avesta and Vedas, haoma and soma.

Sacred Zoroastrian texts refer specifically to the use of cannabis infused wines for revelation. Multiple Indo-European sites ranging from Europe to Central China, have revealed that cannabis was burnt and consumed in beverages in funerary rituals dating as far back as 5,500 years ago and continuing for thousands of years.

In India cannabis is still taken in devotion to the oldest continually worshipped god in the world, Shiva. What was cannabis role with our distant ancestors, is cannabis the Lost Sacrament of the Ancient World?