: How ancient Philistines got WASTED on LSD-like drugs 3,000 years ago
By JON AUSTIN
Mon, Jun 8, 2015
The ANCIENT Philistines may have earned their "uncultured reputation" because they were constantly tripping out on potent hallucinogenic "hippy" drugs, archaeologists have discovered.
Analysis carried out by scientists on pots found in a 3000-year-old incineration pit found they used to get blasted by drinking brews of an intoxicating plant with similar effects to
LSD and magic mushrooms.
The active ingredient is known to induce not only visons but also violent behaviour.
The research team examining the pots discovered molecules from plants belonging to the Hyoscyamus family, which were preserved in olive oil in their original form.
Hyoscyamus was historically used for its psychoactive properties in "magic brews," to induce trips or trance-like states.
When used as a drug the plant can cause the sort of behaviour associated with being drunk, including difficulty speaking, vomiting and fighting. But it also causes dilated
pupils, auditory, visual or tactile hallucinations, confusion, delirium and agitation.
In extreme cases it also produces the sensation of flying.
The modern use of the term Phillistine comes from the ancient race of Aegean origin who came to southern Palestine in about the 12th century BC, as the Israelites arrived.
They had a history of invading countries with superior weaponry such as Anatolia, Cyprus, and Syria, then Egypt in around 1190.
They fought the Israelites, as represented by the story of Samson in Judges 1316 of the Old Testament, and were eventually defeated by Israelite king David.
According to historians, the new drug findings are the oldest known ritual use of the intoxicating plant, revealing the Philistines engaged in an ancient drug culture believed to have revolved around spiritual rituals.
The plant was also sometimes combined with other plants to create concoctions used for anaesthetics for ritual practices that involved an element of pain.
Haaretz reports that the stone and clay pots were found with other items including small stone and clay alters, vessels and tools in 2002 at the pit in the central Israeli town
of Yavneh, but the research has only now been undertaken.
continued http://www.express.co.uk/news/weird/583018/ancient-Philistines-WASTED-LSD-drugs-3-000-years-ago
By JON AUSTIN
Mon, Jun 8, 2015
The ANCIENT Philistines may have earned their "uncultured reputation" because they were constantly tripping out on potent hallucinogenic "hippy" drugs, archaeologists have discovered.
Analysis carried out by scientists on pots found in a 3000-year-old incineration pit found they used to get blasted by drinking brews of an intoxicating plant with similar effects to
LSD and magic mushrooms.
The active ingredient is known to induce not only visons but also violent behaviour.
The research team examining the pots discovered molecules from plants belonging to the Hyoscyamus family, which were preserved in olive oil in their original form.
Hyoscyamus was historically used for its psychoactive properties in "magic brews," to induce trips or trance-like states.
When used as a drug the plant can cause the sort of behaviour associated with being drunk, including difficulty speaking, vomiting and fighting. But it also causes dilated
pupils, auditory, visual or tactile hallucinations, confusion, delirium and agitation.
In extreme cases it also produces the sensation of flying.
The modern use of the term Phillistine comes from the ancient race of Aegean origin who came to southern Palestine in about the 12th century BC, as the Israelites arrived.
They had a history of invading countries with superior weaponry such as Anatolia, Cyprus, and Syria, then Egypt in around 1190.
They fought the Israelites, as represented by the story of Samson in Judges 1316 of the Old Testament, and were eventually defeated by Israelite king David.
According to historians, the new drug findings are the oldest known ritual use of the intoxicating plant, revealing the Philistines engaged in an ancient drug culture believed to have revolved around spiritual rituals.
The plant was also sometimes combined with other plants to create concoctions used for anaesthetics for ritual practices that involved an element of pain.
Haaretz reports that the stone and clay pots were found with other items including small stone and clay alters, vessels and tools in 2002 at the pit in the central Israeli town
of Yavneh, but the research has only now been undertaken.
continued http://www.express.co.uk/news/weird/583018/ancient-Philistines-WASTED-LSD-drugs-3-000-years-ago
