When lots of people think of the history of cannabis, the first thing that comes to mind is the hippy movement. However, this is completely short-sighted – humans have been reaping the benefits of this plant for thousands of years. Here are five ancient uses of cannabis.
Clothing
Hemp (a species of the cannabis plant) has been used by humans as a clothing material for centuries. Archaeologists recently discovered a piece of hemp clothing at a site in modern-day Iraq that was made 10,000 years ago. It’s no wonder that hemp was used by ancient peoples to create clothing – it’s lightweight, insulating, inexpensive and has three times the tensile strength of cotton.
Rope
The immense strength of hemp was also utilised by ancient civilizations from across the globe to create rope. This custom is believed to have started around 600BC in modern-day Russia before making its way across continents, stretching from Greece in 200BC to the Vikings and Italian sailors in the ninth century. We still use hemp to create most of the horticultural rope we use today.
Religious celebrations
The recorded use of cannabis at religious occasions is well-documented. In India, they have been using bhang (a drink made with milk, spices, sugar and crushed cannabis leaves) since 1000BC. Some Hindus believe that bhang is central to religious celebrations, especially Holi – the festival of colour, love, and good over evil.
Funeral rites
Whilst Hindus use cannabis as a way to celebrate, the Scythian tribe of Ancient Siberia, used the plant to mourn. The Greek historian wrote about the part that cannabis played in the funeral rites of the Scythians back in the fifth century BC – stating that cannabis seeds were placed on red-hot stones and their vapour was inhaled. According to his records, they believed the vapours transported the deceased to the afterlife.
Paper
It’s hard to believe now, but perhaps one of the most important developments for mankind was the invention of paper, and yes – cannabis plays a huge part. It was just under 2000 years ago when an inventor of the Chinese court discovered that he could make good-quality paper by mixing hemp with mulberry bark. This was much cheaper, more effective and easier to make than the bamboo slips and wooden tablets previously used.
Cannabis played a huge part in ancient civilisations – providing the material to create paper, clothes and rope – featuring as a central part of funerals and religious ceremonies. It is only recently that hemp has become an uncommon material but perhaps it’s time to look at whether that should remain the case for the future. Our CBD oils and CBD concentrates are new way for modern people to experience the remarkable effects of this miracle compound.
For anybody that suffers from stress, self-isolation is probably not doing you any favours. From the lack of social interaction to the physical restraints of lockdown, managing stress responses is that much harder at the moment. That’s why we think that using cannabinoid (CBD) products can help you now more than ever. There is growing …
When most people think of CBD, they’ll think of oil. This product is the shining star of the CBD market, which comes as no surprise – it’s an easy and flavourful way of enjoying everything that CBD has to offer. Here’s our lowdown on how to take CBD oil. The basics CBD oil is taken …
Quality Control All of the products here at Highkind go through vigorous laboratory testing to guarantee quality and safety. The extracts are screened straight after the initial subcritical (cold) CO₂ extraction for cannabinoid content, microbiological activity, pesticides, heavy metals and residual solvents. Quality Hemp extracts come in many different types. Their quality is based on …
Age-Old Herb: Five ancient uses of cannabis
When lots of people think of the history of cannabis, the first thing that comes to mind is the hippy movement. However, this is completely short-sighted – humans have been reaping the benefits of this plant for thousands of years. Here are five ancient uses of cannabis.
Clothing
Hemp (a species of the cannabis plant) has been used by humans as a clothing material for centuries. Archaeologists recently discovered a piece of hemp clothing at a site in modern-day Iraq that was made 10,000 years ago. It’s no wonder that hemp was used by ancient peoples to create clothing – it’s lightweight, insulating, inexpensive and has three times the tensile strength of cotton.
Rope
The immense strength of hemp was also utilised by ancient civilizations from across the globe to create rope. This custom is believed to have started around 600BC in modern-day Russia before making its way across continents, stretching from Greece in 200BC to the Vikings and Italian sailors in the ninth century. We still use hemp to create most of the horticultural rope we use today.
Religious celebrations
The recorded use of cannabis at religious occasions is well-documented. In India, they have been using bhang (a drink made with milk, spices, sugar and crushed cannabis leaves) since 1000BC. Some Hindus believe that bhang is central to religious celebrations, especially Holi – the festival of colour, love, and good over evil.
Funeral rites
Whilst Hindus use cannabis as a way to celebrate, the Scythian tribe of Ancient Siberia, used the plant to mourn. The Greek historian wrote about the part that cannabis played in the funeral rites of the Scythians back in the fifth century BC – stating that cannabis seeds were placed on red-hot stones and their vapour was inhaled. According to his records, they believed the vapours transported the deceased to the afterlife.
Paper
It’s hard to believe now, but perhaps one of the most important developments for mankind was the invention of paper, and yes – cannabis plays a huge part. It was just under 2000 years ago when an inventor of the Chinese court discovered that he could make good-quality paper by mixing hemp with mulberry bark. This was much cheaper, more effective and easier to make than the bamboo slips and wooden tablets previously used.
Cannabis played a huge part in ancient civilisations – providing the material to create paper, clothes and rope – featuring as a central part of funerals and religious ceremonies. It is only recently that hemp has become an uncommon material but perhaps it’s time to look at whether that should remain the case for the future. Our CBD oils and CBD concentrates are new way for modern people to experience the remarkable effects of this miracle compound.
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