What is the explenation for the fact that there has been traces of marajuana found in Egyptian toumbs and chambers dating to a time when it is believed that Marajuana existed only in South America? Does this mean that there was a few small contacts between civilized mediteranian empires and South American Empires? Also, is there a link between the pyramids of Egypt and those of the Americas? And finally, what is with the fact that gold became so valuable in Europe, Africa and Asia at the same time that it became so valuable in the Americas (also the fact that the concept of coins existed in both civilizations). What happened?
Actually, Cannabis was well known in the Mediterranean area. You are thinking of cocaine. If you search the archives here, you will fing many threads that deal with the topic.
Ditto to adam. In fact, while he acknowledged a translation issue, one rabbi I know says that cannibus was one of the herbs burned in the Temple.
Sua
That must be why I always used to get stoned with the Rabbi’s son 
I used to know…
…but just can’t seem to remember the answer…
Gold has always been of great value to all cultures, everywhere. I see no particular connection between gold having been valuable in both the Americas and in Europe, Africa and Asia at the same time.
What do you mean, “The concept of coins existed in both civilizations”? Which civilizations?
Clayton, when I Search the Thread Archives, I find (and am reminded) that you asked this same question, about “Egyptian marajuana”, in General Questions two weeks ago. http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=54043
Do a Search of the Thread Archives under “cocaine mummies” and you will be able to find what’s been said so far on the SDMB on this subject. You can also search Google.
It’s tobacco, not marijuana, that was supposedly found in the Egyptian tomb.
Gold is valuable because it is extremely malleable, and available in a pure state (unlike iron, which requires great heat to extract from ore). If you are going to use metal to embellish something, gold is the best possible choice.
Is it true that all stone-age cultures we have come across in modern times have cultivated mind-altering plants?
no.
and I gotta say this is one of the funniest threads I’ve read in a while.
What’s next? a thread titles “Greek Olives”
Ok, I was watching The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre the other night and Walter Huston makes it clear (after Bogie and the other guy find pyrite - fool’s gold) that gold, in it’s natural state, is not shiny. So how did the ancients come to realize it’s value? Why didn’t they just ignore it?
P.S. The weed in the Egyptian tomb was accidently left behind by a roadie from the Grateful Dead concerts there in 1978.
My aunt and uncle have done some prospecting up in Wyoming, and they have shown me nuggets they found that were pretty shiny, without much cleaning up.
People in stone age times were not idiots, they worked with stone most of the time because of it’s availability, but they knew that some rocks had special properties, and I’m sure it didn’t take long for some guy to try working with a gold nugget and realize that it had remarkable properties. People were also aware of copper and were using it during Neolithic times.
Obviously those Egytologists need to stop dropping their roaches everywhere.
It;s certainly a possibility, but trace amounts of plants do not a reasonable basis for theories make.
Yes. They’re both large pointy objects. Men tend to like making large pointy objects. I believe Freud have some theories on this matter, but I’m not going to get into that.
either way, would you really want your mummy to know? 
In the Karloff movie “The Mummy” (or perhaps one of its immediate sequels) there is frequenty reference to “Tanna” leaves, as the animating power that gives the mummy life.
According to my pal Steve, tanna leaves are clearly marijuana, and it is stated in the relevant papyrii.
Hey, the guy’s got a Ph.D in Archeology!
Thanks to all that helped me with my question.
-Clay
The current theory is that there was trade between different people over land and thats how it got there,HOWEVER, this doesn’t mean there was direct contact.
It just means that stuff got traded and swapped over a long range.
A roman statue was found in a aztec tomb ( check out new scientist magazine ) but could have just come from a ship wreck or something.
Anybody ever hear of the Hashishim?
IIRC, marijuana is indigenous to the Middle East, and was brought to the Americas by the Spaniards.
The original assassins, yes. 8^)