May 11
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Ancient cultures and Cannabis
Marijuana has been around as long as the planet has. It’s presence and usefulness to ancient cultures is not only well recorded, it is often surprising. Hemp has played a major role in the day to day life and survival of many cultures across many continents. The plants a culture cultivates help tell the tale of many aspects of the culture itself.
The first evidence of Marijuana cultivation is found with the Yang-Shao culture. This ancient Neolithic culture lived around 6,500 years ago along the Yellow River Valley in China. Records describe these people as a prehistoric hunting and fishing based culture that used hemp for making tools to do so. This grew into the making of hemp cloth which replaced animal skins as clothing. Hemp cloth was the clothing of choice for the wealthy until introduction of silk. Entire cultures relied on the cannabis plant for their survival.
Ancient Chinese cultures relied on many parts of the cannabis plant to serve many purposes. Hemp seeds played an important role in daily diet of ancient cultures. Seeds were cooked in soups, roasted, or ground up and put in everyday meals. Cannabis and soybeans are said to have even saved a war torn Chinese culture that was experiencing a great famine.
The medicinal uses of the plant were apparent to ancient cultures as well. Some of the earliest “doctors” on record mention the effects of cannabis flowers. During surgery or after a broken bone doctors would apply a ground up marijuana paste to help ease pain. The earliest pot prescriptions date back to early 2000 BC. It was prescribe for everything from absent mindedness to constipation. Marijuana has always been appreciated for it’s medicinal use and lack of serious side effects, even with prolonged use.
Other important advancements came with the production of hemp oil and paper. Hemp oil has been used in everything from making soap, paint, and varnish to fuel, lubrication, and cooking. Leftover hemp oil formed cakes that were often used to feed pets. It became popular because it is super durable and will not tear easily. Hemp paper was originally made from old clothes and nets. It became popular because it is super durable and will not tear easily. Hemp paper is still in use today in many ways including being the paper that the Canadian currency is printed on. It is, ironically enough, also used in the printing of high end bibles.
You don’t have to look far to find Cannabis in ancient culture.
