February
17
/ 2024
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
