00:03this is an ancient artifact unearthed in central israel experts say it was made by the canaanites
00:09and they recently found traces of opium within it the vessel was first discovered way back in
00:142012 near grave sites but a recent analysis of its former contents has revealed traces of the
00:19drug the archaeologists say they believe the vessel likely held distilled opium meant to be
00:23poured and mixed with other liquids historians believe it may have been used by priests presiding
00:28over burial rituals where they would drink the opium and enter what they call an ecstatic state
00:33this would explain why the vessels were found near graves with israel antiquities authority ron beary
00:38saying about the find the significance is that if these vessels really contained opium it indicates
00:42how popular this product was and how much it was consumed during this period the artifacts are from
00:47the 14th century bc meaning this is likely the first known evidence of opium's use as a drug ever
00:53discovered traces of other historical drugs have been found in israel previously after an 8th century
00:58bc shrine was discovered in 2020 with trace amounts of cannabis present on it
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