‘The first hard evidence of psychoactive drug use in the ancient Andes has been discovered in mummies’ hair, a new study says.
The finding confirms that predecessors of the Inca known as the Tiwanaku used mind-altering substances, and hints that the civilization relied on far-reaching trade networks to obtain the drugs.
Scientists recently analyzed 32 naturally mummified Tiwanaku bodies discovered in northern Chile’s Azapa Valley, which lies in the Atacama Desert.
The researchers discovered a compound called harmine in hairs from an adult male and a one-year-old baby, who both date to sometime between A.D. 800 and 1200. Harmine can help humans absorb hallucinogens and may be a powerful antidepressant.’ Full story at National Geographic
via the mighty Boing Boing
Thanks Leon Muraglia!