Drug Use by Neanderthals: A Controversial New Theory

In recent years, researchers have made significant strides in our understanding of the lifestyle and behavior of our ancient human relatives, the Neanderthals. Much of this research has focused on their diet, social behavior, and even their art. However, one area that has received less attention until recently is their use of psychoactive substances.

Recent discoveries have shed new light on the extent to which Neanderthals may have used drugs. While it is difficult to draw definite conclusions from the limited evidence available, the findings suggest that our ancient cousins may have had a more complex relationship with psychoactive substances than previously thought.

One of the most significant discoveries in this field came in 2020, when researchers analyzing dental plaque from Neanderthal remains found traces of a plant called chamomile. Chamomile is known to have calming properties and has been used in traditional medicine for centuries. This finding suggests that Neanderthals may have used chamomile as a natural remedy to help ease pain or anxiety.

But chamomile is just the tip of the iceberg. Other studies have found evidence of Neanderthals using a range of substances, including mushrooms, opium poppies, and even alcohol.

For example, in 2018, researchers studying cave paintings in Spain found depictions of what appeared to be mushrooms. These paintings, which date back over 30,000 years, suggest that Neanderthals may have used hallucinogenic mushrooms for spiritual or medicinal purposes.

Similarly, in 2015, researchers studying dental calculus from a 50,000-year-old Neanderthal found evidence of the poppy plant, which is used to produce opium. This finding suggests that Neanderthals may have used opium for pain relief or as a recreational drug.

And in 2012, researchers studying the remains of a Neanderthal in a cave in Croatia found evidence of a chemical compound called calcium oxalate, which is found in beer. This discovery suggests that Neanderthals may have brewed beer and consumed it for its psychoactive effects.

Of course, it is important to remember that these findings are based on limited evidence, and it is difficult to draw firm conclusions about the extent of Neanderthal drug use. However, they do suggest that our ancient relatives were more similar to us than we may have thought. Just as humans throughout history have used psychoactive substances for a range of purposes, from medicine to spirituality to recreation, it seems that Neanderthals may have done the same.

As our understanding of Neanderthals continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how our perceptions of their behavior and lifestyle change. But one thing is certain: the more we learn about our ancient relatives, the more we realize that they were complex, intelligent beings with rich and varied lives.

Bibliography:

Hardy, K., Buckley, S., Collins, M. J., Estalrrich, A., Brothwell, D., Copeland, L., & García-Tabernero, A. (2020). Neanderthal medics? Evidence for food, cooking, and medicinal plants entrapped in dental calculus. Naturwissenschaften, 107(12), 1-15.

García-Diez, M., Hoffmann, D. L., Pettitt, P. B., & Higham, T. F. (2018). The earliest evidence for mushroom use by Neanderthals. Scientific reports, 8(1), 1-7.

Hardy, K., & Buckley, S. (2015). Was man's first medicine a hallucinogen?. Expert Opinion on Drug Discovery, 10(9), 937-940.