The origins of cannabis.
Cannabis germination began nearly 28 million years ago in the Loess Plateau in Tibet near Lake Quinghai. Through parapatric speciation, the cannabis plant diverged from the Humulus (Hop) family, which is found in semi-tropical places in East Asia. Cannabis found its way to other countries through animal migratory routes. Seeds would attach themselves to the animal's fur and hang on for the ride until it was time to plant themselves. Humans began to evolve from nomadic to sedentary lifestyles after the last Glacial Age. Land masses were diminishing, which led to people suffering from the change in nutrition. Plants need to be taken care of for humans to eat. Humans first encountered seeds, and grain led to the birth of agriculture, and it became the foundation of civilization. The first cannabis concentrate was formed during the collection of seeds.
Civilizations can be traced back to The Fertile Crescent, specifically Assyria, also known as the Cradle of Civilization. This area is known for being the birthplace of the wheel, writing, the use of irrigation, and agriculture. In the Assyrian text, you can find records of cannabis as a medical plant. Cannabis use as medicine was also recorded during Ancient Egypt and Ancient China. In China's Yanghai tombs, a 2,700-year-old shaman was buried with 789 grams of cannabis flower. Israeli archaeologists discovered the oldest evidence of cannabis use in an Ancient Jewish temple in Tel Arad, Israel. Individuals would burn cannabis resin along with frankincense on the alters.
Two of the oldest cannabis cultures are Persia and India. Persia was connected to the cult of Zarathustra; Zarathustra was an ancient Iranian profit who founded Zoroastrianism. To get more intuned with their spiritual practices, they created a psychoactive drink called Hoama. In Vedic traditions, Indians used Soma, a ritual drink of importance that may have included cannabis, magic mushrooms, opium, and wine. But the actual ingredients still need to be determined. Today in India, cannabis-based Bhang is the popular choice.
Human connection is interlinked with the Silk Road. The Silk Road is not a road. It was a network of trading routes that was created when the Ottoman Empire closed off trade with the West. The name comes from the lucrative trade in silk during the Han Dynasty, but there was an abundance of goods traveled along the Silk Road. From China to Europe, commodities like jade and other precious stones, porcelain, tea, spices, and cannabis were exchanged for horses, glassware, textiles, and manufactured goods.
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