Ancient Chinese Cannabis

In a recent discovery by archaeologists in Western China, a number of wooden bowls used by one village over 2,500 years ago were found to contain our favorite cannabinoid, THC. Recently, a team of scientists from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences discovered a collection of pipes amongst the remains of the Jirzankal Cemetery.

- Ken Breese

The remote find, nestled amongst the Pamir Mountains of Western China, contains an ancient burial site containing a number of well-preserved graves. The people of that place and time often buried personal items with their loved ones when they passed, and it seems a number of the Jirkanzal Cemetery’s resting souls were fond of their wooden pipes (we weren’t quite there with our glassblowing in 5th Century BC). Of the 17 wooden pipes found amongst those buried, 10 of them were found to contain THC. I did not find any data on the strain, but, I’m guessing it was a strong Sativa, as this was the cannabis family cultivated in the region at that time, and with the site’s elevation being so high.