What is it about?
This article reviews evidence for the use of mind-altering plants and mushrooms in the societies that inhabited the current Costa Rican territory during pre-Columbian times, and explores the cultural significance of this activity. It seems the consumption of tobacco, morning glory, cohoba, psychedelic fungi, as well as various alcoholic and invigorating beverages was present in antiquity. This use was likely connected to shamanistic healing practices, social–ceremonial events, and the ritual activities of people who held positions of religious and political importance within society.
Featured Image
Photo by Jimmy Salazar on Unsplash
Why is it important?
Psychoactive substances have been incorporated time and again into the medicine, ritual life, and leisure of diverse human populations throughout the world. There is a wealth of information about the use of these inebriants in the indigenous societies of Mesoamerica and South America. However, for southern Central America, and specifically for Costa Rica, there is little documentary evidence of the use of psychoactive substances. This paper attempts to fill this knowledge gap by providing systematic information regarding inebriation practices in ancestral Costa Rica, through a scientific examination of archaeological artifacts.
Perspectives
I hope this article contributes to the growing global scientific understanding of the relationship between humanity and mind-altering fungi and plants. No work on this subject has been done for several decades in this region, so it is an urgent task to accomplish. This is a first step in such direction.
José Manuel Rodríguez Arce
Universidad de Costa Rica
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Ritual consumption of psychoactive fungi and plants in ancestral Costa Rica, Journal of Psychedelic Studies, June 2019, Akademiai Kiado,
DOI: 10.1556/2054.2019.010.
You can read the full text:
Resources
Contributors
The following have contributed to this page
