Researchers have discovered traces of cocaine in mummified brain tissue from a 17th-century crypt in Milan, Italy. This discovery challenges previous assumptions about the timeline of cocaine use in Europe, suggesting that the drug’s presence on the continent predates its known widespread use in the 19th century by over 200 years. The research, conducted by Gaia Giordano and her team at the University of Milan, has significant implications for our understanding of early drug use in Europe and the historical context of coca leaf importation.
Unearthing the Past: The Discovery
The investigation took place in a well-preserved crypt belonging to the former Ca’ Granda hospital, which historically served the city’s impoverished populations. Researchers analysed the brain tissue of nine individuals who died in the 1600s, identifying cocaine and hygrine – a compound released when coca leaves are chewed – in two of the samples. This finding is extraordinary given cocaine’s tendency to degrade quickly after death, making its presence in centuries-old remains particularly remarkable.
Historical Context: Coca Leaves in Europe
The use of coca leaves, from which cocaine is derived, has a long history in South America, where they have been chewed for their psychoactive and medicinal properties for thousands of years. Spanish conquerors, familiar with these properties, initially restricted the spread of coca leaves to maintain control over their benefits. Efforts to export the plant to Europe were made as early as the 16th century, but the transport and preservation of the leaves were thought to be unsuccessful until the 19th century, when cocaine was chemically isolated.
Implications of the Findings
The discovery that poorer members of society in 17th-century Milan were chewing coca leaves suggests that the plant was available on the open market. This availability implies that coca leaves occasionally survived the journey from South America to Europe, facilitated by the Spanish Empire’s networks and trade routes. The presence of coca in Milan also indicates early recreational or medicinal use outside the official medical prescriptions that appeared in Europe in the 19th century.
Methodology: Detecting Ancient Cocaine
The researchers employed advanced chemical analysis techniques to detect residual cocaine in the ancient brain tissues. The challenges involved in confirming the presence of such a volatile substance after centuries of decomposition highlight the sophistication and sensitivity of modern analytical methods. This pioneering work opens new avenues for examining historical drug use and the biochemical preservation of substances in archaeological contexts.
Spanish Empire and the Spread of Coca
As part of the Spanish Empire, Milan was a key node in the trade network that connected Europe with the New World. The empire’s role in the limited dissemination of coca leaves is crucial to understanding the broader picture of early drug use in Europe. The restricted yet existent flow of coca leaves to Europe underscores the dynamic exchanges between continents during this period and how these exchanges impacted European societies.
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