Ancient Arabians used psychoactive herbs to heal and protect

It started with a single clay device found at an old settlement in northwestern Saudi Arabia that contained a small residue – hinting at a plant that might reveal medical or sensory secrets.

Scientists soon identified a psychoactive herb that people apparently burned and inhaled over two millennia ago. Peganum harmala is a desert shrub locally known as harmal.

The study, led by Dr. Barbara Huber and Professor Marta Luciani of the Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology and the University of Vienna, was based on careful chemical analysis.

Where harmal was burned

Qurayyah was a major oasis settlement during the Bronze and Iron Ages, located in what is now northwestern Saudi Arabia. It’s known for its distinctive pottery style called Qurayyah Painted Ware and for its long-term human occupation.

The discovery of multiple fumigation devices within homes – not temples or tombs – suggests that burning Peganum harmala was a routine part of domestic life.

The plant is a perennial herbaceous species with a woody underground rootstock. It is known for its antibacterial, psychoactive, and therapeutic properties, and not just reserved for ceremonial use.

Harmal in daily life

The researchers focused on residue inside pottery from the site known as Qurayyah and used advanced techniques to see what ancient people might have been inhaling.

“Our findings represent chemical evidence for the earliest known burning of harmal, not just in Arabia, but globally,” said Barbara Huber.

Another team member highlighted the plant’s possible antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and mood-altering effects. The settlement context suggests people chose harmal for both practical and personal reasons.

Harmal burning was deliberate

To identify the burned substance, the team used high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). This method allowed them to detect specific chemical markers left behind, even in tiny, degraded samples.

The technique zeroed in on two key compounds (harmine and harmane) that are known hallmarks of Peganum harmala. Their presence confirmed that the plant was intentionally used, not just accidentally present.

The researchers believe that harmal seeds were probably collected, dried, and stored before being burned. The high oil content in the seeds made them ideal for slow, consistent combustion.

The presence of specialized burners in domestic spaces suggests that harmal use was organized and intentional, not a random act. These devices were likely handled with care to avoid overexposure or waste.

Harmal is still used today

The seeds of this shrub contain active alkaloids that can affect serotonin and other chemicals in the brain. This can bring on mild to strong reactions, depending on the amount and the method of use.

Modern users in some regions burn harmal in homes. The harmal smoke is known for its pungent scent and is said to clear out negative influences and pests.

Ancient healing role

Traditionally, harmal has been used in folk remedies for toothaches, headaches, and other types of pain. It has been brewed as tea or burned for direct inhalation.

Because of its antibacterial qualities, this plant might have served as a rudimentary disinfectant. That approach makes sense in a busy oasis settlement that needed consistent hygiene.

Unlike drinking or eating harmal, inhaling the smoke delivers its active compounds through the lungs. This can change how quickly and how strongly people feel the effects.

Fumigation may have offered a milder, controlled experience, useful for treating symptoms without the risks tied to higher oral doses or hallucinations.

Dosage effect on mood, pain

Harmal smoke can trigger sensations that border on hallucinogenic. Experts say heavy doses may produce a unique mental state, while mild inhalation often brings relief from minor aches.

Some ancient communities may have used this practice for emotional wellness. The environment at Qurayyah probably fostered a need for both spiritual comfort and everyday health support.

Burning plants in ancient rituals

Across many ancient cultures, fumigation wasn’t just about scent or sanitation. Burning certain plants played a role in rituals, healing, and warding off misfortune.

The use of harmal smoke at Qurayyah may have mirrored practices seen elsewhere, where plant-burning served both spiritual and protective functions in daily life.

Tools unlock ancient practices

Archaeologists see these findings as a reminder that local communities often identify and develop complex plant uses. Everyday objects, such as simple burners, can hold chemical data that bring hidden practices to light.

“We’re preserving not only objects, but the intangible cultural heritage of ancient knowledge that still holds relevance in local communities today,” said Ahmed M. Abualhassan, co-director of the Qurayyah project.

The possibilities stretch beyond archaeology, resonating with ethnobotany, anthropology, and heritage studies.

Insights into natural medicine

Traditional healing methods using plants like harmal are still practiced in parts of the Middle East. But with modernization and urbanization, much of this knowledge is fading fast.

By tracing the deep history of these practices, researchers are helping preserve cultural memory and open doors for new insights in natural medicine.

The study is published in Communications Biology.

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