8 May 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Evidence of Intentional Roman Use of Narcotic Seeds, Found in Bone Vessel in the Netherlands

Archaeologists have discovered the first conclusive evidence of the existence of a hallucinogenic and poisonous plant thought to have been used in the Roman world, in a hollowed-out bone at a rural Roman settlement in modern-day Netherlands.

Hundreds of seeds from the plant known as black henbane or mad herb (Hyoscyamus niger) were discovered in a hollowed-out bone at Houten-Castellum, a rural Roman-period settlement in what is now the Netherlands. Because the sheep or goat bone was sealed with a birch-bark tar plug, researchers concluded that the seeds were being used intentionally.

Black henbane is a highly toxic plant with medicinal and psychoactive properties.  Its remains are common in archaeological sites in Northwestern Europe because it grows wild near human settlements, making it difficult to determine whether it was intentionally used.

“Since the plant can grow naturally in and around settlements, its seeds can end up in archaeological sites naturally, without intervention by humans,” lead author and Free University of Berlin archeologist Maaike Groot said in a news release. “The find is unique and provides unmistakable proof for the intentional use of black henbane seeds in the Roman Netherlands.”

Archaeologists determined that the seeds were deliberately inserted into the bone, which was 2.8 inches (7.2 centimeters) long. Researchers dated the bone to between A.D. 70 and 100 based on ceramic styles and a wire brooch discovered in the same muddy pit.

Excavation photograph of a deposit within the enclosure trench containing a basket, vessels, and black henbane (lower arrow). Photo: Groot M. et al. / Renswoude et al. / Antiquity
Excavation photograph of a deposit within the enclosure trench containing a basket, vessels, and black henbane (lower arrow). Photo: Groot M. et al. / Renswoude et al. / Antiquity

Based on bioarchaeological analysis, it was identified as the hollow shaft of a femur from a sheep or goat, with birch bark tar sealed at one end. The black henbane seeds were identified by the tar’s hyoscyamine content.

This is the first known instance of the seeds being deliberately stored for later use.

Pliny the Elder, a Roman writer, wrote about the plant’s many therapeutic applications almost 2,000 years ago. These included tooth disease, earaches, and insect stings. These sources suggest it was used medicinally and wasn’t considered a recreational drug, according to the study.

The discovery of the seed container in Houten-Castellum, the Netherlands, suggests that henbane use may have been commonplace as the settlement was situated at the rural edge of the Roman Empire.

A) The bony cylinder and the cap. B) black henbane seeds. Credit: Groot & van Haasteren / BIAX Consult / Antiquity
A) The bony cylinder and the cap. B) black henbane seeds. Credit: Groot & van Haasteren / BIAX Consult / Antiquity

“Our study contributes to the discussion of how to distinguish between a weed naturally ending up in archaeobotanical assemblages and a plant intentionally used by people,” Groot said. “We argue that future finds of black henbane should be studied by taking into account the context of the find and its relation to other medicinal plants.”

Analysis revealed that black henbane was frequently associated with 13 other species with potential medicinal or symbolic uses at 83 Roman sites in the Netherlands. This implies that they may not have always grown naturally, but rather have been cultivated. Finally, these new findings provide compelling evidence of the deliberate use of black henbane seeds during the Roman period.

The study will appear in the April edition of the peer-reviewed academic journal Antiquity.

Doi:10.15184/aqy.2024.5

Cover Photo: Bone found with black henbane seeds. Maaike Groot et al. / Antiquity

Related Articles

Bronze age settlement found under in Swiss lake

23 April 2021

23 April 2021

For the first time, archaeologists discovered traces of a Bronze Age lakeside village beneath the surface of Lake Lucerne. The...

A woman was buried in a canoe on her way to the ‘destination of souls’ 800 years ago

25 August 2022

25 August 2022

According to new research, Up to 800 years ago, mourners buried a young woman in a ceremonial canoe to represent...

Found Home of the Legendary Viking Woman Who Crossed the Atlantic 500 Years Before Columbus

11 March 2021

11 March 2021

Archaeologists in Iceland recently excavated a farm believed to belong to the legendary Viking woman Gudrid Torbjörnsdottir. She is believed...

The ancient necropolis area in Turkey’s Antalya becomes a museum

22 July 2023

22 July 2023

The East Garage Necropolis Area, which was once a public market in the southern province of Antalya and where archaeological...

200,000-year-old ‘mammoth graveyard’ found in the southwest UK

19 December 2021

19 December 2021

Researchers have unearthed a mammoth “graveyard” filled with the bony remains of five individuals, including an infant, two juveniles, and...

Human Relief Found at Million Stone Excavation Site in İstanbul

18 July 2021

18 July 2021

The Milion Stone (also known as the Million Stone) from the Eastern Roman period is one of important the historical...

Sumatran fishing crews may have found the legendary Gold Island in the Mud of the Indonesian River

24 October 2021

24 October 2021

The site of the Srivijaya kingdom, known in ancient times as the Island of Gold, may have been found by...

Archaeologists discover innovative 40,000-year-old culture in China

2 March 2022

2 March 2022

Ancient hunter-gatherers living in what is now China may have been the first people in East Asia to process mustard...

Evidence of Medieval Scotland in Inverness revealed by building work

19 June 2021

19 June 2021

Archaeologists in Scotland have discovered medieval remains during excavations for construction work, and they are exposing mysteries about the industrial...

Assyrian seal found in the ancient Kef Fortress built by the Urartians

18 November 2024

18 November 2024

An alabaster seal, believed to be from the Assyrian Empire and belonging to a nobleman, was discovered in the ancient...

The Ancestors of Today’s Barbie Dolls “Coptic dolls”

23 September 2023

23 September 2023

For as long as there has been civilization, children have played with dolls. Wooden dolls with bead hair have been...

‘Mystery and Unfathomable’ King Arthur’s Hall is 4,000 Years Older Than Previously Thought

10 November 2024

10 November 2024

A mysterious monument in Cornwall has been discovered to be 5,000 years old—4,000 years older than previously thought. The rectangular...

Habib-i Neccar Mosque, one of the first mosques in Anatolia, was destroyed in the earthquake

12 February 2023

12 February 2023

Antakya Habib-i Neccar Mosque, one of the first mosques built in Anatolia, was destroyed in the earthquake that killed tens...

Archaeologists Uncovered a Unique Ancient Roman Winery with Marble Tiling and Fountains of Grape Juice

17 April 2023

17 April 2023

Archaeologists have uncovered a unique ancient Roman winery at the luxurious Villa of the Quintilii, just to the south of...

Ancient tombs discovered at Paris’ Notre-Dame Cathedral

15 March 2022

15 March 2022

Archaeologists discovered several graves and a leaden sarcophagus possibly dating from the 14th century at Paris’ Notre Dame church, France’s...