Oldest Evidence of Humans Sucking Betel Nut Found in Sulawesi, Dating Back 25,000 Years

The oldest evidence of humans sucking on betel nuts has been discovered in Sulawesi, Indonesia, dating back approximately 25,000 years to the prehistoric hunter-gatherer era. This finding challenges the conventional theory that the use of psychoactive substances began after the Neolithic period, with the advent of agriculture. A research team led by Professor Adam Brumm from Griffith University investigated fossil remains of two prehistoric hunter-gatherers found in Sulawesi. They observed peculiar dental abnormalities in both individuals, which were concluded to stem from an unknown practice of regularly sucking on betel nuts. Betel nuts contain psychoactive substances that affect the brain, offering effects such as relaxation, enhanced focus, and stress reduction. While modern society relies on tobacco and alcohol for similar purposes, prehistoric humans are thought to have utilized betel nuts as an alternative. The research findings were published in the journal 'Science Advances'. This discovery serves as a crucial clue, suggesting that the use of psychoactive substances may have existed much earlier than previously believed, around 3,500 years ago, dating back to a time when humans were not yet familiar with agriculture. Source: Mongabay Indonesia