Neolithic Period: Evidence of opium poppy seeds in Spain before 4000 BCE.
Cannabis: Dates back to at least 3500 BCE, used for intoxication, medicinal purposes, and practical uses like making rope.
Ancient Greek Context
Controversial Usage: Drug use in religious rituals not explicitly mentioned in texts; evidence gathered from iconography, artifacts, and botanical studies.
Modern Representations: Ancient Greek religion often portrayed as mysterious and fantastical, sometimes involving drug use in rituals.
Substances Used
Alcohol: Used in daily and religious contexts.
Opium and Cannabis: Known for medicinal and narcotic purposes.
Kykeon and the Eleusinian Mysteries
Kykeon: A drink made of water, barley, and other ingredients, mentioned in the Iliad and Odyssey.
Part of the Eleusinian Mysteries, potentially containing psychoactive agents like ergot.
Ergot: Fungus hypothesized to induce altered states for religious experiences; possibly a precursor to LSD.
Challenges in proving the use of ergot due to inconclusive tests.
Evidence of Opium Use
Minoan Crete:
Circa 1300 BCE, a terracotta figure of a poppy goddess holding poppy capsules, indicating knowledge of opium extraction.
Artifacts:
Seal rings and archaeobotanical evidence at Tiryns.
Juglets resembling poppy seeds found in Cyprus, used in temples and tombs, containing opium alkaloids.
Ivory pipe from 12th century BCE Cyprus, suggesting opium smoking in ritual contexts.
Notable Figures and Practices
Demeter: Often depicted with poppy heads, indicating an association with opium.
Oracle of Delphi (Pythia):
Served as a medium at the Temple of Apollo.
Entered trances potentially induced by gases emitted from fissures near fault lines.
Modern studies suggest gases like ethylene or methane could cause mild euphoria and visions, though the exact type is debated.
Conclusion
The use of drugs in ancient Greek religious practices remains a topic of intrigue and debate.
Evidence is often indirect, coming from artifacts, iconography, and environmental studies, rather than explicit historical records.