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Blog EntryApr 14, '09 5:40 PM
by Dianne for everyone



Courtesy of: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7992575.stm




A team of researchers in the US has discovered traces of a medicinal alcoholic drink in bottles that are more than 5,000 years old.

The scientists extracted wine compounds and plant-derived ingredients from a jar taken from the tomb of one of the first pharaohs of Egypt, Scorpion I.

This is the earliest sample of a human-made medicine.

The researchers report their findings in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Patrick McGovern, professor of anthropology at the University of Pennsylvania, led the research.

The vessels that he and his team tested came from excavated tombs in southern Egypt - the earliest of which dates from 3150BC.

"This is the earliest Egyptian vessel ever found to have wine in it," Professor McGovern told BBC News.

"It shows that, by trial and error, humans were discovering remedies over 5,000 years ago, and that alcoholic beverages were a key part of the discovery process.
Please follow link for full story.


1 Comment
gurcanaral wrote on Apr 14, '09
I am not surprised at all.
If they could have left "written" accounts, we would have been even more amazed, I think.

But then why even doubt it?

The blue jay birds get attracted to a particular plant in my backyard at about August every year when its berries are ripe. Those berries get them "high", literally. So, in a way, they get drunk, deliberately.
(After the orgy, their flight ability becomes visibly impaired)

So, if I would write an observation about them, I could easily say that the blue-jays KNOW how to extract mind altering drugs...

:)))

they do!

Trial and error is not limited to mankind making innovations, I guess!

THX for the post!
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