guy Posted January 30, 2021 Report Share Posted January 30, 2021 (edited) This is a story I originally missed but I was reminded of during one of my morning walks. After a rain storm, the sweet and fragrant herbal smells are calming and delightful: A well-preserved substance found in a 2,700-year-old temple in Tel Arad has been identified as cannabis, including its psychoactive compound THC. Researchers concluded that cannabis may have been burned in order to induce a high among worshippers. This is the first evidence of psychotropic drugs being used in early Jewish worship, Israeli media report. Quote Frankincense was found on one altar, which was unsurprising because of its prominence in holy texts, the study's authors told Israeli newspaper Haaretz. However, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabinol (CBN) - all compounds found in cannabis - were found on the second altar. The study adds that the findings in Tel Arad suggest that cannabis also played a role in worship at the Temple of Jerusalem. Cannabis residue was found on an altar at the temple in Arad https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-52847175 Summary: The presence of cannabis at an alter doesn't mean it was used for its hallucinogen effect. Hemp, a variety of cannabis, also has THC. Industrial hemp is used for its fibers but will not have enough THC to have an intoxicating effect. Hemp fibers can be used for many purposes: paper, clothing, rope, etc. It is doubtful that there would be enough marijuana to have an intoxicating effect, anyway. At least, it would mask the putrid smells that filled an ancient city: animal sacrifices, human and animal excrement, body odors, etc. Edited September 20, 2022 by guy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldrail Posted January 30, 2021 Report Share Posted January 30, 2021 One point though - masking smells? The Romans don't seem to have had a problem with smell other than they preferred personal cleanliness. It isn't the smell of the city they moan about - it's the noise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guy Posted January 31, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2021 (edited) Interesting point, but the Romans did like perfume as well as incense They understood, however, the benefits of good hygiene. Maybe they were inured to pungent odors? They did use urine (for its ammonia content) to clean and soften clothes. They also prized the foul-smelling garum (a pungent fermented fish sauce) as a delicious condiment. Using public latrines might desensitize one to odors, including the communal sponge for cleaning. I agree, however, that the ancients didn't seem to complain about the surrounding smells, only bad breath or body odor. Here's a scholarly article "Stop and Smell the Romans: Odor in Roman Literature" by Kate Allen: https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/handle/2027.42/116729/ktallen_1.pdf?sequence=1 Edited January 31, 2021 by guy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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