Cannabis and Mammoth Sedation: A Prehistoric Perspective

The Epigravettian hunter-gatherers of Mezhirich, Ukraine, may have utilized **hemp (Cannabis)** to feed, tame, and sedate mammoths, which led to changes in the age profile of the mammoth herd. The culture of hemp could have decreased the death rate in young mammoths because it is known for its **tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) anti-inflammatory properties** and its essential fatty acids that enrich mammals' milk. The Mezhirich herd was primarily composed of mammoths between 0 and 20 years old. This suggests the hunter-gatherers possessed advanced botanical knowledge.The engraved mammoth tusk found in Mezhirich, Ukraine, along with a painted mammoth skull, suggests the **mammoth was linked to activities occurring in the Khmil’na field**. The name of the nearby city of Kaniv is homonymous with words for "hemp" in Armenian, Azeri, and Sanskrit. The village of Khmil’na is named after the Ukrainian word for "drunk" or "intoxicated". Download Sources