New analysis of tiny spoons found attached to belts of Barbarian warriors at ancient burial sites suggest that the Roman-era Germanic soldiers snorted stimulants and other drugs to embolden them in battle.
"This allows the thesis to be put forward that this utensil was a common part of a warrior's armor, and from here it is close to concluding that pharmacological stimulation of warriors in the face of stress and exertion was the order of the day," the researchers from the Maria Curie-Skłodowska University write in the journal Praehistorische Zeitschrift.
From IFL Science:
While it's currently unclear exactly which psychoactive substances the Barbarians may have been into, the researchers note that exotic plants such as cannabis, deadly nightshade, and "devil's trumpet" were available across much of Europe at the time. Similarly, psilocybin-containing magic mushrooms and the hallucinogenic ergot fungus could have been consumed via the little spoons, as could hops or opium.
Poisonous henbane seeds, meanwhile, may also have been ingested. Known to trigger intense rage, the seeds were ritualistically consumed within the Roman Empire and may have been used by the notorious "berserker" Norse warriors to help them excel on the battlefield during the Viking Age.
Previously:
• Evidence of ancient speed freaks found in Pleistocene burial cave
• Analyzing tooth tartar to learn about ancient drug use
• Drugs in the bible
