Prehistoric peyote use: Alkaloid analysis and radiocarbon dating (Journal Article)

[Aoutiv]

I thought some of you might enjoy this. Nothing new, circa 2005.

Abstract
Two archaeological specimens of peyote buttons, i.e. dried tops of the cactus Lophophora williamsii (Lem.) Coulter, from the collection of theWitte Museum in San Antonio, was subjected to radiocarbon dating and alkaloid analysis. The samples were presumably found in Shumla Cave No. 5 on the Rio Grande, Texas. Radiocarbon dating shows that the calibrated 14C age of the weighted mean of the two individual dated samples corresponds to the calendric time interval 3780–3660 BC (one sigma significance). Alkaloid extraction yielded approximately 2% of alkaloids. Analysis with thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) led to the identification of mescaline in both samples. No other peyote alkaloids could be identified. The two peyote samples appear to be the oldest plant drug ever to yield a major bioactive compound upon chemical analysis. The identification of mescaline strengthens the evidence that native North Americans recognized the psychotropic properties of peyote as long as 5700 years ago.
© 2005 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Lophophora williamsii; Peyote; Mescal buttons; Mescaline

 

[lyserge]

Cool, thanks for pointing this out. This implies that peyote ceremonies pre-dated the Eleusinian Mysteries by at least 2000 years(!). A google search suggested that the earliest peyote use was approximately 10,000 years ago - predating these findings by 4,000 years - but I couldn't find any references for that date.

 

[Bancopuma]

Fascinating, thanks for sharing. I had also read the 10,000 years ago claim, but its good to get a scientifically derived carbon dating to give a more concrete estimation of age. And thats a very long time ago indeed. Wow. 8)

 

[Dorge]

thats why we call him grandpa!

 

[Bancopuma]

Indeed! :d

 

[LawnBoy]

In fact, W.W. Taylor excavated nine peyote crowns strung together on a cord in a burial cave in the Cuatro Ciénegas basin of Coahuila, Mexico (Taylor 1988). One of these specimens was recently radiocarbon dated to 835+35 radiocarbon years ago, or a 2s calendar date of 1070-1280 AD (Terry et al. 2006).

nature-peyote

www.texasbeyondhistory.net

 

[endlessness]

thanks for sharing aoutiv! This and other articles can be found here:

Scientific Articles on DMT/Ayahuasca/Psychedelics - DMT Discussion - Welcome to the DMT-Nexus

if you guys have more scientific articles please do share in that thread

 

[amor_fati]

What a timely finding. Thanks!