Seeds, preserved hair in tomb point to oldest signs of cannabis high 2,800 years ago, study suggests

A new study suggests people were using cannabis for psychoactive purposes at least 2,800 years ago

Archaeologists led a dig at a monumental tomb in Siberia and found evidence of early cannabis use for psychoactive purposes

The findings point to cannabis consumption at least 300 years earlier than previously known use in neighboring China

The dig took place starting in 2017 at a large burial mound at the Tunnug 1 site in the Uyuk Valley of southern Siberia

around 440 B.C.: Herodotus wrote about Central Asians smoking cannabis · starting in 2017: The dig began at the Tunnug 1 site in southern Siberia · during the dig: Team found cannabis seeds and preserved human hair in a royal tomb · Thursday: Results of the study were published in the journal Science

2,800 years age of earliest known psychoactive cannabis use · 300 years earlier than China's known use · 440 B.C. Herodotus's account · 1,000 number of seeds found · 2017 start year of the dig

It's not clear whether the cannabis was consumed through inhalation or ingestion