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  • RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT

Buried vases hint that ancient Americans might have drunk tobacco

Ritual vessels found in Guatemala contain traces of nicotine.
Examples of Mesoamerican archaeological vessels that were sampled for tobacco residue

Seven Mesoamerican vessels were sampled for various residues, including tobacco. Credit: Oswaldo Chinchilla Mazariegos

The Maya and other ancient Mesoamerican cultures smoked tobacco in the form of cigars. An analysis of ceramic vases suggests that some of these ancient peoples also consumed tobacco as a liquid infusion, probably as part of curative and purification practices1.

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Nature 627, 247 (2024)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-024-00602-x

References

  1. Negrin, A., Chinchilla Mazariegos, O., McNeil, C. L., Hurst, W. J. & Kennelly, E. J. Antiquity https://doi.org/10.15184/aqy.2024.13 (2024).

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