Scientists have identified traces of hallucinogenic substances in the hair of Bronze Age inhabitants from Spain, a finding published in Scientific Reports. Researchers have long suspected prehistoric drug use in Europe based on indirect evidence such as opium alkaloids found in Bronze Age vessels, narcotic plant remains at ritual sites, and depictions of these plants in ancient art. The new study adds a biological layer to that picture by examining actual human remains.
Elisa Guerra-Doce and colleagues from the University of Valladolid analyzed hair strands from Es Carritx Cave in Menorca, a site dating to the European Bronze Age and judged among the earliest settlements on the island. The cave also contains a burial chamber that was used around 2,800 years ago, in which about 210 individuals were interred. In a striking detail, some hair from these burials was dyed red and placed in wooden or horn containers, then hidden in a separate room deep within the cave. Hair can preserve a life history by recording what a person consumed over time, and the team used high resolution liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry to screen for alkaloids.
The analysis detected the presence of atropine, scopolamine, and ephedrine alkaloids. Atropine and scopolamine occur in plants from the nightshade family and are associated with delirium, altered perception, and vivid sensory experiences. Ephedrine, a stimulant derived from certain shrubs and conifers, can increase alertness and physical activity. The researchers interpret these findings as evidence that the individuals may have consumed mandrake type plants such as mandragora autumn, henbane known as Hyoscyamus albus, ordinary datura stramonium, and perhaps conifer derived ephedra phragile. The pattern of use points to ritual contexts where shamans might have administered these plants to others as part of ceremonial practices. The presence of concentric circles on the hair caps has been suggested as a symbolic representation of eyes, possibly alluding to inner vision or altered states associated with drug use in ritual settings.
This research builds on a growing body of work that connects ancient pharmacology with social and spiritual life in prehistoric Europe. By linking chemical signatures in hair to specific plant species and traditional uses, the study provides a more tangible sense of how substances may have influenced ritual behavior, social roles, and collective worldview during the Bronze Age. The authors emphasize that while the chemical evidence aligns with historical accounts of plant use in ritual contexts, careful interpretation is required to avoid overstatement. Factors such as varying hair growth rates, environmental exposure, and post burial handling can influence results, so the findings are presented as part of a nuanced reconstruction rather than a definitive account of everyday life for all individuals involved. The work illustrates how modern science can illuminate long buried questions about health, belief, and performance in ancient societies.
In the broader scope of paleonutrition and paleopharmacology, this discovery highlights the importance of integrating biological specimens with archaeological context. It also raises interesting questions about the roles of shamanic leadership and ritual medicine within Bronze Age communities on the western edge of Europe. While the exact meanings of the red hair dye and the careful separation of containers remain subjects of interpretation, the convergence of chemical data and burial practices points to a culturally significant use of plants that shape perception and social ties in ancient Spain. This multi disciplinary approach helps scholars better understand how people of that era may experienced altered states and how such experiences were woven into ritual expressions and communal identity. The study thus contributes to a richer, more dynamic picture of prehistoric Europe as a place where chemistry, spirituality, and daily life intersected in meaningful ways.
An additional note reflects on how this kind of inquiry fits into modern debates about food and biology. Ancient populations engaged with plants and substances in ways that reveal not only dietary choices but also ceremonial values. The exploration of these traces in hair and other remains continues to shed light on the complexity of Bronze Age lifeways and the ways people made sense of the world around them. In the end, the research provides a window into the sensory and symbolic worlds of ancient societies, offering a vivid texture to our understanding of early Europe.