Vikings could have been regular marijuana consumers

905 0

Archeologists uncover something revealing in a settlement from 1,000 years ago

The earliest traces of cannabis consumption have recently been found in China. Traces of marijuana dating back 2,500 years were found there, indicating that societies have known for a very long time how beneficial marijuana could be for the body and mind. A new archeological revelation shows that the Asian community wasn’t alone in its belief, as Vikings may have also been regular cannabis consumers.

An archeological dig at the only known Viking site in Newfoundland has revealed that the village was occupied for more than 100 years beginning around 1000AD and possibly extending into the 13th century. While excavating a portion of the site, the archeologists came across a peat bog with environmental remains that have been radiocarbon dated to the same time period. Those remains were found to contain cannabis pollen from a strain that doesn’t grow anywhere around the site.

It’s still too early to conclude whether or not the Vikings were active consumers or if they were just collecting different products as the explored the world. However, it’s an interesting find and one that deserves further investigation. Perhaps the Vikings were more advanced than previously thought and were as adept at making hemp-based clothes as they were wielding swords.

The Newfoundland site, located in L’anse aux Meadows, is one of the few locations that have been able to prove Vikings came to North America well before accepted historical accounts. It also shows that the people best known for their warrior skills that pillaged and plundered as it looked to expand survived much longer than previously thought.