A remarkable discovery has been made in the Gobi Desert - the world's oldest stash of marijuana. Nearly two pounds of still-green plant material, found in a 2,700-year-old grave, has been identified as cannabis. This ancient find sheds light on the long history of this versatile plant, which evolved around 28 million years ago in the eastern plateau of Tibet. Cannabis, also known as hemp or marijuana, is a close relative of the common hop found in beer.
It grows wild throughout Central Asia and has been cultivated by Chinese farmers for thousands of years for its oil and fiber, which are used to make ropes, clothing and paper. The discovery was made inside one of the Yanghai tombs excavated in the Gobi Desert. Inside the tomb was a 45-year-old shaman with blue eyes, and near his head was a wooden bowl containing two pounds of dry plant matter. After careful analysis, scientists determined that this material was marijuana.
The marijuana buds were neatly packed in a leather basket next to the head of the tomb owner. Scientists described the mummified inhabitant as Caucasian with blue eyes. Most likely, he was a shaman or a healer of the time, and because of his appearance, he may have traveled quite a bit.
