Ancient Chinese Grave Contains Burial Shroud Made of 13 Marijuana Plants
Archaeologists in northern China have discovered what they've called "extraordinary cache" of cannabis in an ancient tomb, provoking new questions about the plant's medical and ritual uses.
The "ancient, well-preserved" plants are somewhere between 2,400 and 2,800 years old. The grave contained 13 "nearly whole" cannabis plants that appear to be locally grown. The plants were arranged carefully within the tomb to provide a burial shroud for the deceased man.
While this is a "unique" discovery, the archaeologists say while describing their find in Economic Botany, it speaks to the many uses of cannabis throughout the years. In 1938, Popular Mechanics declared that hemp, which like marijuana comes from a cannabis plant, to be a "billion dollar crop."
Source: National Geographic, Economic Botany
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