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The basic ring juglet resembles the seed of an opium poppy. (Credit: British Museum)
According to a new study, a 3,000-year-old container, originally found in the eastern Mediterranean and preserved in the British Museum, contains traces of opium.
The study, published in the journal of the Royal Society of Chemistry Analyst, confirms that these types of containers – called "basic ring juglet" – were used to carry the drug. Researchers have discussed this subject extensively over the years.
"The opioid alkaloids we've detected are the ones we've shown to be the most resistant to degradation, making them better targets for older residues compared to more well-known opiates such as morphine," said Dr. Rachel Smith, who has developed method to find opiate alkaloids, in a statement.
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"We found alkaloids in degraded vegetable oil, and how was the opium used in this juglet still unresolved?" Could there be an ingredient in a mixture of oil, or juglet have been reused for oil after opium or something else entirely?
It was notorious that these pitchers were "widely marketed" in the eastern Mediterranean around 1650-1350 BC. BC, making their use for the transport of opium all the more likely. LiveScience reports that the first use of opium poppy by humans dates back to 6000-5001 BC. AD
When they are returned, the containers also look like opium poppy heads.
The jug where the evidence was found was sealed. As such, the content inside has been preserved, allowing researchers to further explore the depths of the opium trade and the culture of the time.
"Juice is important to reveal important details about the trade and culture of this period, so it was important for us to try to advance the debate about its possible use," said Professor Jane Thomas-Oates , president of the chair of analysis. Science in the Department of Chemistry and Head of Studies at the University of York.
Once the tests are successful, the next step "is to determine if we can succeed with less conserved residues," added Professor Thomas-Oates.
Follow Chris Ciaccia on Twitter @Chris_Ciaccia
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