Researchers say cannabis seeds and chemical traces in preserved human hair from a 2,800-year-old tomb in southern Siberia are the oldest directly dated evidence yet that people used cannabis to become intoxicated.
The finds came from Tunnug 1, a large burial mound in Tyva linked to high-ranking members of Scythian society, a horse-riding culture from the Eurasian steppe. Archaeologists found about 1,000 seeds. Radiocarbon dating showed that six were from the early eighth century BCE, around the time the burial was built.
Cannabis also had practical uses, including providing oil or fiber, so seeds in a grave alone do not prove that people used it to become intoxicated. Hair samples provided stronger evidence. Researchers found signs that may indicate cannabinol, a substance that can form when THC breaks down.
They also found weaker signs that may indicate THC itself. The results support the idea that people used cannabis. They cannot show how much people consumed or whether they breathed it in or swallowed it.
The seeds’ placement in the burial suggests they had a ceremonial role, but their exact purpose remains uncertain. The international team’s findings were published in Science on November 5, 2026.