The discovery of traces of nicotine and cocaine within 3,000-year-old human remains, which came to be known as Egypt’s cocaine mummies, raised curious questions amongst historians. Challenging existing historical narratives and prompting inquiries about potential transoceanic contact in antiquity, these controversial findings disrupted conventional narratives and prompted scholars to reconsider the scope of cultural exchanges in antiquity.
An examination in the 1970s of the mummy of Ramesses II revealed fragments of tobacco leaves in its abdomen. (CC BY SA 3.0)
What Makes Traces of Nicotine and Cocaine in Egyptian Mummies Peculiar?
Today, many people believe that Christopher Columbus was not the first non-American to set foot in the New World. Current research has argued that the Vikings, Chinese, Greeks and Italians may have all been his predecessors. Some experts have even posited that ancient Egyptians were in the Americas as far back as 1,000 BC. How they’ve reached this conclusion is rather surprising.
In 1992, esteemed forensic toxicologist Dr. Svetla Balabanova announced a startling discovery. While examining the mummy of a member of the ancient Egyptian elite, she found traces of hashish, nicotine and cocaine, not only on the hair of Henut Taui but also on other mummies under analysis. The question soon arose: How did Lady Henut Taui have access to substances derived from the tobacco and coca plants as far back as 3,000 years ago?
To understand the conundrum, it’s important…
