8 Things That Prove Ancient People Were High

Psychedelics long, long ago. In a galaxy far, far away

1. Xochipilli (The Flower Prince)

This fellow was known well to all Aztecs from the classical age right into the 1400s when the Spaniards arrived. He was the God of reverie. Just look at the way he is sitting. Clearly he is uncomfortable and would like it if you changed the song and asked the walls to stop warping. All over his body have been identified representations of hallucinogens (look at the specificity of the things depicted on his right leg) from Psilocybin Mushrooms to Morning Glory to the plant which we get Tobacco from.

2. Mayan Mushroom Stones

These were found at the site of Kaminaljuyu in the Guatemalan Highlands and were made from 1000BC to 100AD.

3. More Mayan Mushroom Stones

From 100AD this depicts a red toadstool with white spots and a person sitting under it a bit like Xochipilli. It's the Super Mario Mushroom! Amanita Muscaria. This is interesting as it makes a great argument for there being connections between Asia and the New World far before Columbian contact. Specifically because...

4. Siberian Shamans used Amanita Muscaria

These figurines were found engraved near the Pegtymel River, made earlier than 1000BC. The Chukchi people now live in the area and have use of Amanita Muscaria in their traditions. The word Shaman is actually Siberian.

5. And so did Vedic Indians

The ninth chapter of the Rig Veda is devoted to Soma. This is hands down probably the clearest evidence that exists as the chapter is filled with instructions of how to properly ingest Soma and then clearly describes the experiences. All it took was some reading and pharmacology to work out they were talking about Amanita Muscaria. As a note on the holiness of cows (which Hindus and a few others are keen on) many hallucinogenic mushrooms actually grow out of cow dung.

6. Algerian Cave Art

In Tassili n'Ajjer (the Algerian section of the Sahara Desert) there are some of the greatest cave painting finds we have. Most notable is this one above, from somewhere between 9000-6000BC. Most Scholars title this one something along the lines of 'Bee headed Shaman covered in Mushrooms'. The title alone gets me high.

7. The Eleusinian Mysteries

This is a depiction of Demeter and Persephone both handling mushrooms. The two were patrons of the mysteries which were festivals to bring one closer to the spirits. This one, held just outside Athens in the fields of Eleusis, is kind of ground zero in terms of Pagan spirituality. Everyone would come together and drink kykeon, a mysterious drink. If one talked of the mystery or dealt kykeon outside of the festival they would be jailed. There are many theories over kykeon. Some say that like the Vedic Indians the mushroom was being distilled into a liquid. Among all the theories there is agreement kykeon certainly wasn't just a mild cup of water.

8. Even Plato was High

As mentioned above, it was illegal to overtly discuss or participate in the mystery outside of the festival. But still, the clever few like Sophocles, Plato and Isocrates found ways.

Sophocles, in the trilogy which involved the infamous Oedipus, closes the final play with a story that plays out in Eleusis. Though it is a tragedy it closes with the characters hopes in a sense being embodied by Eleusis.

Plato once said: 'The ultimate design of the Mysteries was to lead us back to the principles from which we descended, a perfect enjoyment of intellectual spiritual good'

Isocrates said: 'Eleusius is a sanctuary for the common good of the whole earth, and of all the sacred matters known to man it is the one which awakens the most fear and gives the most peace'