Yo, peep this, fam. Cannabis been around for a grip, like 12,000 years ago in East Asia during the early Neolithic period. It been part of ancient history in mad societies all over the world, from Eurasia to Africa. The plant been poppin’ up in China, the Middle East, and spread throughout the Islamic empire to North Africa. In the 1500s, it made its way to the Western Hemisphere. And now, there might be a hint of it in North America.
Archaeologists be diggin’ in Newfoundland at a Viking settlement, and they found some sus substance – cannabis. Published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, these researchers be focused on L’Anse aux Meadows, a spot in northern Newfoundland where Vikings landed around 1000. They thought the Vikings only chilled there for a bit, but turns out they might have stayed until the 12th or 13th century. And they might have brought that good good with them.
The dig squad uncovered a layer of “ecofacts” about 100 feet from the settlement. This layer had cannabis pollen, a plant that ain’t native to that area. The big question is, how were the Vikings using the weed? Maybe they was making clothes outta the fibers or maybe they was sparking up for medical or even recreational reasons. Or maybe it was used for something totally different, ya feel?
Back in the day, Daoists was burnin’ marijuana in incense burners for religious ceremonies and medical purposes like pain relief. And let’s not forget about the Karma Sutra – they was gettin’ lit off that herb for fun. Imagine being a Viking back then, dealing with all that marauding – a little weed to numb the pain and relax would be clutch.
More research gotta be done to see if it was actually the locals in Newfoundland who brought that cannabis pollen or if it was really them Vikings. Either way, Viking scholars are hyped about this discovery and gonna keep investigating.
So there you have it, fam. Vikings possibly bringing that loud pack to North America back in the day. Weed been part of global culture for centuries and now we findin’ out even more about its history. Stay tuned for more updates on this wild discovery!