[Aztlan] re: Tobacco in Enema?

[Carlos]

Hello all,
I have a question:  Why is it assumed that the substance is tobacco 
rather than 'some other substance' as mentioned.  While I was visiting 
the Popol Vuh museum in Guatemala City some years ago I couldn't help 
but see all the mushroom ceramics on display.  I know that there are 
varieties of /psilocybe/ at Palenque and I suspect elsewhere at similar 
altitudes.  It seems that tobacco is the oft described substance 
although a tobacco enema would seem the least attractive thing as I can 
attest from chewing a small cud of tobacco.
carlos


Mike McBride wrote:
> Hola Justin, Nick, y listeros,
>
> Justin: I think the right-most image in K6271 is
> pretty clear evidence of the intended use of its
> contents. Thanks for posting the image, really
> interesting.
> Also, as we discussed in Austin, maybe we should
> reconsider the 4 "old gods" scene on K530. I suggested
> that the lower right god is actually applying tobacco
> or some other ritual agent out of the small pot,
> rather than makeup. The 3 others all have an "alcohol"
> vessel in from front of them, and 2 of the 3 have an
> enema clyster on the vase in front of them, so
> something pharmacological is going on. 
> Not sure I've seen the Calakmul scene that Simon
> described as oral tobacco application, but K3460 seems
> pretty clear about some type of tobacco(?)
> administration. Interesting that the shape of that
> small vessel is the same as the narrow necked "alcohol
> vases" that you have described.
> Also interesting is the animal figure at lower center.
> Appears to be leaning against & reaching into a large
> "alcohol" pot with a prepared/used clyster in his
> right hand. Brings to mind part of the scene on K1381.
>
> Nick: interestingly, it was at the memorial service
> for Linda at her and David's house that Katherine
> shared with me some of her thoughts about ancient Maya
> ritual drug use.  She said to always remember that
> alcoholic mixtures were the basis of most or all
> ritual preparations. Makes sense - alcoholic
> preparations are easy to prepare and universally used.
> That pearl is one that I have applied to most of my
> ethnopharmacological studies since. 
>
> I have thought for a long time that not only were
> alcoholic preparations used to facilitate most ritual
> settings, but there were probably "drugs of choice"
> added to those preparations, depending on the
> event/ritual to be performed. The psychoactive
> alkaloids in tobacco, as well as many other
> pharmacologically active ingredients in plants/animals
> are easily dispersed in alcohol based liquids. 
> Additionally, it is a well documented physiological
> principal that the vast majority of drugs applied by
> enema are absorbed quickly with profoundly more
> intense activity. 
>
> Sadly, direct evidence of any admixtures seems lacking
> from ceramic vessels from archaeological context; i.e.
> lab analysis of dry or liquid sampling extracted from
> the inner surfaces of those vessels. I am aware of
> some proposed studies, but have not seen any results
> published.  I'd be grateful for any citations of those
> type results.
>
> Mike
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