Were the pharaohs smack-heads? - Historum

Nick · November 12th, 2009, 04:09 PM

German scientists have discovered traces of cocaine in Egyptian mummies. Is this evidence of trade between the Old and New Worlds?

http://www.straightdope.com/columns/...ocaine-mummies

hem dazon 90 · November 12th, 2009, 04:16 PM

interesting but still the pharoahs were goo rulers most of the time I dont think they would let themselves be addicted to coke

maybe a sampling here or there but not that much

Mouse · November 12th, 2009, 04:24 PM

LOL. Very interesting. Maybe cocaine was used to mummify the mummies, not necessarily used by the living beings.

**okamido** · November 12th, 2009, 04:29 PM

I remember something about this a couple years back. They were saying that the tobacco was some form of extinct african tobacco but I don't have any problem believing in some form of trade between the two continents. Just because there is no evidence does not mean it didn't happen.

Zavier · November 12th, 2009, 06:50 PM

Interesting. Maybe its some other close relative of cocaine that died out centuries ago.

**Edgewaters** · November 12th, 2009, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zavier

Interesting. Maybe its some other close relative of cocaine that died out centuries ago.

Not necessarily, tropacocaine alkaloids are found in most members of the Erythroxylaceae family. Most of these are actually native to Africa.

Likewise, nicotine is found in other members of the Solanaceae family ... including, for instance, mandrake, eggplant, belladonna, and paprika, all of which are native to the Old World.

**DIVUS IVLIVS** · November 13th, 2009, 12:41 AM

Marcus Aurelius might have been addicted to Opium.

As they say, it's good to be the King...

**NewModelSoldier** · November 13th, 2009, 12:46 AM

On March 5, 1556, Humayun, his arms full of books, was descending the staircase from his library when the muezzin announced the Adhan (the call to prayer), reportedly after smoking a pipefull of opium. It was his habit, wherever he heard the summons, to bow his knee in holy reverence. Kneeling, he caught his foot in his robe, tumbled down several steps and hit his temple on a rugged stone edge. He died three days later, and was succeeded by the 13 year old Akbar.

I heard about this theory when I was about eight, I read about it one of those Horrible Histories books about the Egyptians.

Cedar Brown · November 13th, 2009, 03:35 PM

Maybe some guys decided to do lines off the Pharaoh's chest at the dig site. We all know that archaeologists love to party.

Nick · October 29th, 2010, 07:57 AM