Researchers reveal a new finding that humans may have used betel nuts as psychoactive substances as early as 25,000 years ago, based on evidence discovered in Indonesia, making it the oldest such evidence ever found worldwide.
The new study presents evidence that could change our understanding of the origins of psychoactive substance use, showing that humans in Indonesia may have used betel nuts to affect the brain around 25,000 years ago—several thousand years earlier than scientists previously estimated.
Researchers from Griffith University in Australia studied ancient human skeletal remains belonging to hunter-gatherer groups found on Sulawesi Island, Indonesia, and identified unusual tooth wear patterns characterized by deep, rounded grooves on the teeth.
The research team believes these marks resulted from chewing whole betel nuts, seeds of the Areca catechu palm. The evidence comes from two ancient individuals: one dated approximately 25,000 to 16,000 years ago, and the other about 7,600 to 6,300 years ago.
Professor Adam Brumm, the lead researcher, stated that this evidence may represent the oldest known use of psychoactive substances ever discovered.
Betel nut contains psychoactive compounds that can produce mild euphoria and increased alertness. Today, it is one of the most widely used psychoactive substances globally, ranking fourth after alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine.
Previously, scientists believed that psychoactive substance use began after humans adopted agriculture, with evidence of fermented alcoholic beverages dating back about 13,000 years.
However, this new study, published in the journal Science Advances, suggests that psychoactive substance use has much older roots and may have occurred among hunter-gatherer societies before the advent of agriculture.
Researchers also experimented by soaking betel nuts in synthetic saliva and found that simply chewing whole betel nuts can release psychoactive compounds in quantities sufficient to influence brain function.
Although chewing whole betel nuts in the past might have had milder effects than modern chewing methods, the research team believes regular use could have severe oral health impacts, potentially causing gum disease.
Currently, betel nut use is widespread in South and Southeast Asia, often involving processed nuts mixed with red or white lime and other ingredients before chewing. Approximately one in ten people worldwide still chew betel nut in this manner.
. Source:BBC
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