MADRID: Discovering that humans were using powerful drugs more than 3,000 years ago. The surprising discovery was made when examining hair from a cave burial site in Manorca, Spain. All these intoxicants are formulated from various plants and shrubs. This is the oldest evidence of human use of intoxicants in Europe.
The new discovery was published in the scientific journal Scientific Reports. They were powerful enough to impress those who used them. Evidence of intoxicant use has been found in a cave that has been found to have been cremated for nearly 600 years up to 800 BC. About 200 graves were found here. Some rituals may have taken place in the cave. It is believed that drugs were used as part of this.
The cave has been found to contain the hallucinogenic substances atropine, scopolamine, and ephedrine, which increases focus and energy. This is the first direct evidence of the use of intoxicating substances through paintings from Europe.
