The Greatest Seafarer Peoples in History
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A hidden chamber high in Peru has revealed that more than 2,000 years ago, ancient elites used hallucinogens not just for ritual, but as a tool to shape belief and social order.
The discovery sheds new light on the Chavín civilization, a culture that predates the Inca and left a lasting imprint on the region’s art, architecture, and power structures.
Archaeologists from the University of Florida, Stanford University, and several South American institutions uncovered the earliest direct evidence of mind-altering plant use in the Peruvian Andes.
They found snuff tubes carved from hollowed bones inside hidden chambers at Chavín de Huántar, a ceremonial center 10,000 feet above sea level.
Their findings, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, reveal chemical traces of nicotine from wild tobacco and residues from the vilca bean, a hallucinogen known for strong visual effects.
Tests suggest that these substances were used not for recreation, but as part of tightly controlled rituals. Researchers believe Chavín leaders used such experiences to reinforce their authority. Unlike the communal ceremonies seen in other ancient societies, these rituals were private and highly selective.
The snuff tubes were found in small stone rooms that held only a few participants. These spaces were likely designed to create an intense and mysterious atmosphere that leaders used to their advantage.
“Taking psychoactives was not just about seeing visions. It was part of a tightly controlled ritual, likely reserved for a select few, reinforcing the social hierarchy,” said Daniel Contreras, an archaeologist at the University of Florida and co-author of the study.
The effects of these substances were likely overwhelming, even frightening, and researchers say that was intentional. Those allowed to participate may have believed they connected with a supernatural realm, strengthening the idea that their leaders had access to higher powers.
Beyond the use of plant-based substances, Chavín rituals also included music. Archaeologists found trumpets made from conch shells and rooms that appear to enhance sound. These performances were likely designed to amplify the spiritual experience and further impress participants.
“The supernatural world isn’t necessarily friendly, but it’s powerful,” Contreras said. “These rituals, often enhanced by psychoactives, were compelling, transformative experiences that reinforced belief systems and social structures.”
Contreras has studied the site for nearly three decades as part of a team led by Stanford professor emeritus John Rick. The researchers believe these ceremonial practices were key in the transition from more equal early communities to subsequent class-based societies.
The findings offer insight into a mystery that has puzzled archaeologists for over a century. Chavín appears to bridge the gap between small, cooperative groups and the mountain-spanning empires that came later. By controlling access to spiritual experiences, its leaders helped lay the foundation for a more divided social world.
“It’s exciting that ongoing excavations can be combined with cutting-edge archaeological science techniques to get us closer to understanding what it was like to live at this site,” Contreras said.
