Hair Analysis Suggests Cannabis Used 2,800 Years Ago

(MENAFN- Swissinfo) People are thought to have been using cannabis as long as 2,800 years ago, according to a new analysis with Swiss involvement. Researchers have detected traces of typical active compounds, such as cannabinol, in the hair of individuals buried in a monumental princely tomb in southern Siberia. Select your language

Generated with artificial intelligence. Listening: Hair analysis suggests cannabis used 2,800 years ago This content was published on November 8, 2026 - 12:18 4 minutes Keystone-SDA

Deutsch de Haaranalyse: Cannabis schon vor 2800 Jahren konsumiert? Original Read more: Haaranalyse: Cannabis schon vor 2800 Jahren konsum

In addition, over 1,000 hemp plant seeds were found, as reported in the journal Science by the team led by Gino Caspari from the Max Planck Institute for Geoanthropology in Jena and the University of Bern.

Cannabis refers to the hemp plant Cannabis sativa, in particular its dried flowers, leaves, stems and seeds. The plant contains many chemical compounds, including more than 100 cannabinoids, most notably the main active ingredient, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

“The molecular traces in the hair and the cannabis seeds come from the same grave and suggest that cannabis was used for its intoxicating effects,” said Caspari. His team dated several seeds to around 2,800 years ago.

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