In south-east Asia, a 4,000-year-old practice has been hidden in plain sight – the use of psychoactive plants to enhance alertness, energy, euphoria, and relaxation. The people of ancient Thailand and other parts of the region have long chewed betel nuts, which contain compounds that produce pronounced physiological effects on humans. However, this practice was thought to be lost to time, until a team of international researchers discovered evidence of its use in dental plaque from Bronze Age Thailand.

The study, published in Frontiers in Environmental Archaeology, analyzed 36 dental calculus samples from six individuals at the Nong Ratchawat archaeological site in central Thailand. The researchers found that three of these samples contained traces of arecoline and arecaidine – organic compounds found in betel nuts and other psychoactive plants like coffee, tea, and tobacco.

“This is the earliest direct biomolecular evidence of betel nut use in south-east Asia,” said Dr Piyawit Moonkham, an anthropological archaeologist at Chiang Mai University in Thailand. “We demonstrate that dental calculus can preserve chemical signatures of psychoactive plant use for millennia, even when conventional archaeological evidence is completely absent.”

The researchers used a new method to analyze the dental plaque samples, which involved removing tiny amounts of plaque and analyzing the chemical residues found therein. They also produced betel liquid samples themselves to ensure that they could reliably detect psychoactive compounds through their analysis.

The results suggest that betel nuts were chewed as early as 4,000 years ago in Thailand. However, the absence of tooth-staining raises questions about different consumption methods or post-consumption teeth cleaning practices. While traces of betel nut chewing were found in samples from only one individual, there is currently no proof that this individual received special treatment or was of elevated social status compared to the other burials at Nong Ratchawat.

The methods used by the researchers can be applied to examine the remaining burials at Nong Ratchawat and at other sites. “Dental calculus analysis can reveal behaviors that leave no traditional archaeological traces, potentially revolutionizing our understanding of ancient lifeways and human-plant relationships,” said Dr Shannon Tushingham, the senior author of the study.

The study highlights the importance of understanding the cultural context of traditional plant use. Psychoactive, medicinal, and ceremonial plants are often dismissed as drugs, but they represent millennia of cultural knowledge, spiritual practice, and community identity. Archaeological evidence can inform contemporary discussions by honoring the deep cultural heritage behind these practices.

In the heart of western Iran, nestled within the Zagros Mountains, lies an 11,000-year-old secret that has finally been uncovered. A team of international researchers, including scientists from The Australian National University (ANU), have made a groundbreaking discovery that sheds light on the early Neolithic period’s cultural practices.

The finding reveals that communities living during this time invested significant effort to bring wild boars hunted in dispersed parts of the landscape as gifts for a communal celebration. This ancient tradition is not just a fascinating glimpse into the past but also shows how certain foods, particularly those with geographical significance, have been integral to cultures worldwide since prehistory.

The researchers analyzed the tooth enamel of five wild boars found neatly packed and sealed inside a pit within a round building at the Asiab site. By examining microscopic growth patterns and chemical signatures, they determined that at least some of these animals came from locations roughly 70 kilometers (~43 miles) away from where the gathering took place.

This is significant because it shows that ancient hunters went through considerable effort to kill and transport boars over challenging mountainous terrain during a journey that likely would have taken several days. The fact that boars were not the most hunted animal during this period adds to the intrigue.

Dr Petra Vaiglova from ANU explained, “Just like trees and their annual growth rings, teeth deposit visible layers of enamel and dentine during growth that we can count under the microscope. This is the first time these growth layers have been used to guide geochemical analysis of animal teeth to answer questions about human-animal interactions.”

The researchers believe this practice of offering gifts with geographical symbolism can be traced back to prehistory, making it a truly ancient tradition. They also think that communities living in the Zagros Mountains during this time had a “very diverse hunting strategy” and were hunting lots of different animal species.

Dr Vaiglova said, “Boars are especially aggressive and so displaying them as hunting trophies or presenting them at a feast carries with it a certain element of significance. Bringing these animals from distant locations would have undoubtedly helped celebrate the importance of the social event that took place at Asiab.”

The research is published in Nature Communications Earth and Environment and involved scientists from Australia, Germany, Denmark, and Iran.

This discovery provides us with a glimpse into how old the tradition of bringing geographically meaningful gifts to social events really is. These people were clearly the ultimate dinner party guests. The fact that they invested substantial amounts of effort to transport the boars over such challenging terrain shows just how important this event was in their culture.

As Dr Vaiglova said, “These findings highlight the complexities and nuances of early human societies and underscore the importance of considering multiple lines of evidence when reconstructing the past.” This discovery will undoubtedly have a significant impact on our understanding of prehistoric cultures and their practices.

“Uncovering Ancient Culinary Traditions: The Butchery Secrets of Our Prehistoric Ancestors

Scientists have long been fascinated by the mysterious lives of our prehistoric ancestors, the Neanderthals. Recently, a new study has shed light on an intriguing aspect of their daily life – their culinary traditions. Researchers have discovered that two groups of Neanderthals living in close proximity to each other, yet exhibiting distinct cultural practices, had different ways of butchering and preparing food.

The study, published in Frontiers in Environmental Archaeology, focused on the caves of Amud and Kebara in northern Israel, where Neanderthals resided during the winters between 50 and 60,000 years ago. Despite sharing similar living conditions and tools, the two groups developed unique butchery strategies, which may have been passed down through social learning and cultural traditions.

One of the key findings was that the Neanderthals at Amud seem to have hunted more small prey than those at Kebara, who had a preference for larger game. This difference in hunting practices led to distinct patterns in food preparation. The bones at Amud were mostly burned and fragmented, suggesting deliberate actions like cooking or accidental damage. In contrast, the bones at Kebara showed less fragmentation and were thought to have been cooked.

The researchers selected a sample of cut-marked bones from contemporaneous layers at the two sites and examined them macroscopically and microscopically. They found that the cut-marks were clear and intact, largely unaffected by later damage caused by carnivores or the drying out of the bones. However, the profiles, angles, and surface widths of these cuts were similar, likely due to the two groups’ similar toolkits.

The key difference between the two sites lay in the density and linearity of the cut-marks. Those at Amud were more densely packed and less linear in shape than those at Kebara. Experimental archaeology suggested that this pattern couldn’t be accounted for by less skilled butchers or by butchering more intensively to get as much food as possible.

The researchers proposed several explanations for these findings, including the possibility that the Neanderthals at Amud were treating meat differently before butchering it – possibly drying their meat or letting it decompose. Another possibility was that different group organization played a role, such as the number of butchers who worked on a given kill.

While more research is needed to investigate these possibilities, this study provides valuable insights into the culinary traditions of our prehistoric ancestors and highlights the importance of considering cultural practices in understanding their daily lives.

As Anaëlle Jallon, PhD candidate at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and lead author of the article, noted, “There are some limitations to consider… Future studies, including more experimental work and comparative analyses, will be crucial for addressing these uncertainties – and maybe one day reconstructing Neanderthals’ recipes.”