Amidst continual political debates over the use and legalization of marijuana, recent news sheds light on a most intriguing discovery made back in 2013. Archaeologists dug up a set of solid gold vessels in a large grave mound in the Caucasus Mountains of southern Russia. The vessels were identified to be “bongs” that were once used by tribes to smoke (and indulge in) cannabis and opium.

Marijuana treasures buried deep in the Russian mountains

This remarkable discovery was made in the Caucasus Mountains in Russia, where the Scythians once ruled between the ninth century B.C. and the fourth century. The Scythians were a nomadic group who hailed from the region that is today occupied by Iran. They once inhabited a vast extent of the Eurasian Steppe. This tribe conquered a great portion of the Eurasian landscape, and once ruled for one thousand years.

The artifacts that the archaeologists dug up are most curious. They are a set of ornately embellished golden “vessels,” decorated with depictions of both humans and animals. They were found inside a chamber located in the grave mound, which was buried beneath piles of stone and clay. Along with these vessels, archaeologists retrieved seven pounds worth of other gold items, including an ancient ring, two neck rings and a gold bracelet.

The finest ancient objects found in the region held marijuana

Detailed analysis of the sticky black residue left in the golden cups showed that they once were used to hold both marijuana and opium. These cups were actually discovered in 2013 when the burial ground was cleared to make a path for the power line in the area. Both forms of narcotics were apparently mixed in the cup and used simultaneously.

As with all finds like these, the researchers hope that the ornamented vessels — which are decorated with detailed battle scenes showing warriors, griffins, horses and stags — will give us insight into Scythian culture.

There is no doubt that the Scythians used both marijuana and opium at the same time in the cups. Some researchers speculate that the mixture was brewed during celebrations of battle victories. The next step is to figure out the context that these artifacts were once used in, in order to have an increased understanding of the culture.

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