Archaeologists have identified the earliest direct evidence of cannabis use for ritual or intoxicant purposes, from cannabis residue found in a 2,800-year-old tomb in Siberia.

What it means

Archaeologists report the earliest direct chemical evidence of cannabis being used for psychoactive or ritual purposes, from a 2,800-year-old tomb at the Tunnug 1 burial mound in Tuva, Siberia. Residue in hair and seeds found alongside human remains indicate the plant was likely consumed or burned during burial rites, possibly to calm sacrificial victims. The findings, published in a peer-reviewed paper in Science, push back the confirmed timeline of human cannabis intoxication by centuries.

Accuracy & sourcesGrounded

The claim is solid, based on a new study in Science (DOI 10.1126/science.aeg3800) that reports radiocarbon-dated cannabis seeds and chemical analysis of human hair from the tomb. The reporting in Scientific American and other major outlets closely follows the primary source, with consistent details across multiple verifiable articles.

How new

Genuinely new: the findings were published in early November 2026, with coverage appearing on November 5–6, 2026.

Go deeper

• Scientific American — first to publish