Did Caveman Take Any Drugs?

Achieving an altered consciousness or rather experiencing a ‘high’ through an overdose of drugs was up to now believed to be peculiar to the modern age. A new study conducted by a team of researchers from Tokyo proves otherwise. The paper published in ‘Adaptive Behavior’ had conclusive evidence to claim that prehistoric men consumed hallucinogenic plants during certain rituals. The researcher took into consideration the cave markings from around the world and carefully observed the patterns drawn by these prehistoric men. They found that there were similarities between these drawings and what the modern day humans drew when under the influence of drugs. Also, they further noted that irrespective of the surrounding environment, this pattern of peculiar drawings was consistent throughout all the caves that were studied across the world.

The researchers speculate that this ‘High’ was achieved by the consumption of certain plants that have similar hallucinogenic and mind-altering effects. The paper states; “The prevalence of certain geometric patterns in the symbolic material culture of many prehistoric cultures, starting shortly after the emergence of our biological species and continuing in some indigenous cultures until today, is explained in terms of the characteristic contents of biologically determined hallucinatory experience”.

The researchers also believe that this behavior may have been adapted by prehistoric men considering the fact that the human brain has a tendency to see and create certain shapes and patterns when in altered consciousness. This study shows that man has always been preoccupied with achieving a ‘high’ through the use of psychedelic drugs.

Source-Medindia