Ancient betel nut use reveals early psychoactive habits
Summary and headline written by AI from the source article. How we work
Archaeologists in Indonesia discovered evidence that people chewed betel nut, a seed from the areca palm, between 25,000 and 16,000 years ago, making it the oldest known psychoactive substance used by humans.
Researchers studying skeletons found on the island of Sulawesi noticed unusual wear on teeth that suggested a habit of holding a hard object in the mouth.
They then analysed the teeth and found traces of arecoline, the main active compound in betel nut, as well as vanillin, nicotine, and compounds from betel leaves. The team determined that the psychoactive effects of areca nut could be released without lime, and without cutting the nut into small pieces as is done in modern preparations. The presence of betel leaf compounds suggests people also used the leaves to enhance the flavor or for medicinal properties.
The discovery pushes back the history of psychoactive substance use to the Paleolithic period, as the oldest individual dates back that far. Researchers believe the initial use may have been medicinal, to relieve dental pain, as areca nut has properties that prevent tooth decay. However, the continued wear on the teeth suggests the practice became a habit, and potentially an addiction, creating a cycle where people continued to chew the nut despite the damage it caused.
The findings also show that betel nut consumption evolved over time, from simply sucking on the nut to chewing it with betel leaves and lime, a practice that began around 4,000 years ago.
