Ancient ancestors sought mind-altering plants 25,000 years ago
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Researchers in Indonesia discovered evidence that people living between 25,000 and 6,300 years ago regularly used areca nuts, a plant with psychoactive properties.
The team examined the remains of two hunter-gatherers found on Sulawesi island. They noticed deep, rounded grooves on the individuals’ teeth, indicating they frequently held and sucked on a hard, round object. To confirm their suspicions, the scientists performed biomolecular analysis and found traces of arecoline, a key psychoactive compound in the areca nut.
This combination of physical wear and chemical evidence suggests these ancient people weren’t simply consuming the nuts with betel leaf and lime as is common today, but rather sucking on the whole nuts. This process would have released arecoline, creating physiological and psychoactive effects. The study, published in Science Advances, marks the earliest known chemical proof of regular plant-based drug use.
While evidence suggests Neanderthals also used plants, like willow bark containing salicylic acid, for medicinal purposes, this finding demonstrates a much older pattern of intentional psychoactive consumption. Scientists also theorize that the ancient people may have used the areca nuts to relieve dental pain, given the poor dental health observed in the remains, though it remains unclear if the use was primarily medicinal or recreational.
