”The session will include a paper by Anna Jarosz-Wilkołazka, Anna Rysiak and Andrzej Kokowski, followed by a shared discussion and questions round on the seminar specific theme of ‘stimulants in the ancient world’. The topic of the talk is:
‘Secrets of the Warrior’s Herbarium: Natural Stimulants in Ancient Northern Europe’ (Anna Jarosz-Wilkołazka, Anna Rysiak & Andrzej Kokowski)
In prehistoric Europe, the landscape was rich in wild plants and fungi with potent psychoactive properties. These natural substances may have played a role in ritual practices, and only a select few likely possessed the knowledge to find, prepare, and preserve them. Once dried, they could be turned into stimulant or narcotic preparations. A team led by Professor Kokowski from Maria Curie Skłodowska University in Lublin (Poland) has proposed that spoon ended fittings discovered on belts might have served as dispensers for such substances, potentially enhancing the performance of Germanic warriors. By cataloguing 241 artefacts found with military equipment, the team sought to identify plants and fungi capable of producing stimulating effects. Evidence from military sites in southern Scandinavia (mainly Illerup) may indicate that such preparations helped maintain combat readiness during the Roman period, suggesting a broader economy surrounding their procurement and use. In our presentation, we will share the results of our interdisciplinary team’s work (archaeologist, botanist, and biochemist). We aimed to explain and connect various aspects of the use of wild plants containing active metabolites by the Germanic peoples.
CANCELLED: ‘Experiencing Altered States: Stimulants, Ritual Practice and Power in the Ancient Near East’ (Diana Stein-Wuenscher)
All are welcome, so please feel free to share the invite and join us online!
Time: Thursday 26 March at 16:15-18:00 EET (UTC+2h).
Live venue: ONLINE ONLY.
Virtual venue: Zoom (Meeting ID: 678 8979 2118 / https://helsinki.zoom.us/j/67889792118).
Wonder what else was on the menu? Check the AMME spring program (here)!”
