Hair found in a cemetery in Es Càrritx cave in Menorca, Spain, shows civilizations used drugs derived from plants 3,000 years ago, scientists say.
Es Càrritx Cave, on the southwest side of Menorca, has 200 human graves and served as a burial place for about 600 years, until 800 BC. According to BBC news, scientists believe plant-derived substances may have been used as part of rituals performed in the cave.
In the analyzes carried out on the hair, three psychoactive substances were discovered: atropine, scopolamine and ephedrine. Scientists have found that ephedrine increases energy and alertness.
Containers were found with spirals designed and carved on the lids, leading scientists to link them to the condition of someone under the influence of hallucinogenic drugs.
Source: DN
