{
  "id": 18361346,
  "title": "Oldest Evidence of Getting High on Cannabis Discovered In 2,800-Year-Old Tomb: ‘Absolutely Crazy’",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/05/oldest-evidence-of-getting-high-on-cannabis-discovered-in-2-800-year",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-11-05T19:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "404 Media",
    "slug": "404-media",
    "url": "https://www.404media.co/oldest-evidence-of-getting-high-on-cannabis-discovered-in-2800-year-old-tomb/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Archaeologists have unearthed the earliest definitive proof of human consumption of psychoactive cannabis in a 2,800-year-old tomb in Siberia. The site, a burial ground for Iron Age individuals and sacrificial victims, contained over 1,400 cannabis seeds and traces of cannabinoids, including tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), in the preserved hair of a person. The discovery, published in Science, provides compelling evidence that cannabis was used for its mind-altering properties much earlier than previously thought. Gino Caspari, the lead archaeologist from the Max Planck Institute, described the findings as \"absolutely crazy,\" noting that it offers a unique combination of archaeological and biological evidence. The Scythian culture, known for their horse-riding and ritualistic practices, is believed to have incorporated cannabis into their ceremonies, as suggested by Herodotus' accounts. The researchers plan to expand their investigations by analyzing more hair samples and conducting DNA analysis on the seeds, which could provide insights into the origins and evolution of cannabis.",
  "summary": "Archaeologists have discovered the oldest direct evidence of psychoactive cannabis use in a Siberian tomb that was used for human and horse sacrifices, a finding that sheds light on ancient rituals and could help revive wild strains of cannabis lost to time.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}