Ancient Indonesians used betel nuts to alter consciousness
Summary and headline written by AI from the source article. How we work
Archaeologists studying human remains on Sulawesi, Indonesia, discovered evidence that people chewed betel nuts to alter their state of consciousness as early as 20,000 years ago.
A team led by Adam Brumm examined two skeletons and found deep grooves in their teeth. These grooves didn’t match patterns from normal chewing, but aligned with consistent, long-term sucking of betel nuts, the seeds of the areca palm.
Today, betel nuts are still chewed across parts of Asia and the Pacific, often mixed with betel leaves and lime, creating a psychoactive effect. Brumm explained that betel nuts are the fourth most widely used psychoactive substance globally, consumed by approximately one in ten people worldwide. The researchers determined that the individuals likely held the nuts in their mouths for extended periods, moving them around to slowly wear down their teeth over a lifetime.
The team also detected arecoline, a natural alkaloid in betel nuts responsible for its intoxicating effects, within the remains. Brumm suggests the practice may have begun as a traditional remedy for tooth pain, as the nuts have a numbing effect on the mouth. However, the prolonged use caused significant tooth wear, potentially creating a cycle of pain relief followed by worsening dental issues.
Interestingly, despite the severe wear, the teeth showed little evidence of cavities, possibly due to increased saliva production from sucking on the nuts.
