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Production Matters

Organic Residue Evidence for Late Precolumbian Datura-Making in the Central Arkansas River Valley

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 August 2021

Shawn P. Lambert Open the ORCID record for Shawn P. Lambert [Opens in a new window] ,
Timothy K. Perttula  and
Nilesh W. Gaikwad
Shawn P. Lambert*
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology and Middle Eastern Cultures, Mississippi State University, PO Box AR, Mississippi State, Mississippi 39761, USA
Timothy K. Perttula
Affiliation:
Archeological & Environmental Consultants LLC, 10101 Woodhaven Drive, Austin, Texas 78753, USA ([email protected])
Nilesh W. Gaikwad
Affiliation:
Gaikwad Steroidomics Lab LLC, Davis, California 95616, USA ([email protected])
*
([email protected], corresponding author)
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Abstract

Recent absorbed residue studies have confirmed that ceramic and shell containers were used for consuming Datura in precolumbian times. Until now, no one has identified what tools precolumbian people used to produce a concentrated hallucinogenic concoction. In this study, we used mass spectrometry to identify Datura residues (a flowering plant with hallucinogenic properties) in two late precolumbian composite bottles from the Central Arkansas River valley. Unlike the construction of most Mississippian bottles, the bottles in this study are unique because ceramic disks with a series of concentric perforations were incorporated in the bottles at the juncture of the bottle neck with the globular portion of the body. The organic residue analysis revealed Datura residues in both bottles. We argue that the internal clay disks served as strainers that allowed Datura producers to separate the hallucinogenic alkaloids from the Datura flower to produce a powerful liquid beverage.

Estudios recientes de residuos absorbidos han confirmado que en la época precolombina se utilizaban recipientes de cerámica y de concha para consumir Datura. Hasta ahora, nadie ha identificado qué herramientas usaban los pueblos precolombinos para producir una mezcla alucinógena concentrada. En este estudio, utilizamos espectrometría de masas para identificar residuos de Datura (una planta con flores con propiedades alucinógenas) en dos botellas compuestas precolombinas tardías del valle del río Arkansas Central. A diferencia de la construcción de la mayoría de las botellas de Mississippian, las botellas de este estudio son únicas porque se incorporaron discos de cerámica con una serie de perforaciones concéntricas en las botellas en la unión del cuello de la botella con la porción globular del cuerpo. El análisis de residuos orgánicos reveló residuos de Datura en ambas botellas. Argumentamos que los discos de arcilla internos sirvieron como filtros que permitieron a los productores de Datura separar los alcaloides alucinógenos de la flor de Datura para producir una poderosa bebida líquida.

Keywords

Daturaproductionceramicsiconographyorganic residue analysishallucinogensDaturaproduccióncerámicaiconografíaanálisis de residuos orgánicosalucinógenos
Type
Article
Information
Advances in Archaeological Practice , Volume 10 , Issue 2 , May 2022 , pp. 149 - 159
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Society for American Archaeology

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