An international team of researchers led by GW Pharmaceuticals consultant, neurology doc and visiting botany professor Ethan Russo found the stash while investigating a series of tombs in the northeastern Chinese area of Xinjiang. Xinjiang is thought to be the original home of many cannabis strains.
The stash was the oldest found so far where it was possible to perform analysis. The male parts of the plant had been removed from the stash, and the seeds were larger than would be expected in a wild strain. Along with the fact that a large amount was found in the grave (one of only two graves, of five hundred, that contained the still-green herb) there was already strong evidence that it was used for visionary or medicinal purposes. 789 grams, nearly two pounds, of dried cannabis were found in the grave, lightly pounded in a wooden bowl inside a leather basket.
Even back then the plant was restricted in use, as evidenced by the very few people buried with it. This particular stash belonged to a 45 year-old, blond-haired, blue-eyed Gushi shaman from the Caucasus mountains. Also in the grave were found a harp, a horse bridle, a make-up bag, archery equipment, and other goods. Shamans in many civilizations are and were the dispensaries of medicines to their tribespeople.
Because no pipes were found in the grave, it is believed the drug was ingested orally or by fumigation, basically using it as an incense.
Due to the various current restrictions on the plant, it took the researchers 10 months to transport samples of the material to England from China, where Russo analysed it at the GW Pharmaceuticals research facility. GW Pharmaceuticals makes the synthetic cannabinoid Sativex.
The announcement was made in the current issue of the Journal of Experimental Botany.
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