Prehistoric magic mushrooms have long been used by people throughout history. This psychoactive substance has crossed many centuries, with diverse practices surrounding its use across cultures. It’s time to explore the history that brought shrooms to their status today.
Table of Contents
The Historical Mushroom Species
9000 BC — this is how far back shrooms have been recorded. Psychedelic mushrooms are psilocybin-containing fungi with over 200 varieties that can induce hallucinations, altered states of consciousness, and spiritual encounters.
For millennia, they were used in spiritual rituals, practices, and ceremonies across various cultures and tribes. Many of the recorded accounts come from North and South America.
Shrooms in Prehistoric Times
Archaeologists have found evidence in the Sahara Desert that humans used Psilocybe cubensis over 7,000 years ago. Prehistoric art across several regions depicts their usage — including paintings from around 9000 BC by the Saharan aboriginal tribes of North Africa, and the famous Selva Pascuala mural rock painting in Spain (circa 4000 BC), which suggests that Psilocybe hispanica was used in religious rituals.
The Stoned Ape Theory
In his Stoned Ape Hypothesis, Terence McKenna suggested that psilocybin may have contributed to evolutionary cognitive advancements in humans. While widely debated, the concept remains compelling.
Ancient Civilizations and Sacred Practices
Ancient civilizations depicted mushrooms in symbols, paintings, and statues as tools for religious ritual. The Mayans and Aztecs used them to communicate with supernatural entities. The Aztecs referred to psilocybin mushrooms as teonanácatl — “flesh of the gods.”
In Siberia, hallucinogenic mushrooms — specifically Amanita muscaria — were used by shamans for spiritual healing dating back 10,000 years. In African tribal ceremonies, particularly among the Congo and Zimbabwean tribes, mushrooms facilitated communication with ancestors and promoted spiritual healing.
The Mythical Side of Shrooms: Folklore and Mythology
In ancient India, the Soma — a ritual drink described in the Vedas — was believed to induce altered states of consciousness. Many scholars, including Gordon Wasson, speculate it may have been made from psychoactive plants. Wherever it came from, soma made sacred symbols appear during ceremonies and represented access to higher realms of knowledge.
The Modern Era
Early Suppression
There are early accounts in pre-Columbian history of Mayans and Aztecs using psilocybin mushrooms. The Spanish prohibited their use in the 15th and 16th centuries, considering the practice uncivilized. The shamans ignored the law and secretly preserved their cultural heritage for over four centuries.
Western Resurgence
During the 1950s, shrooms were introduced to the Western world by R. Gordon Wasson, Roger Heim, and Albert Hofmann. While on expedition in Mexico, the three extracted psilocybin and psilocin from shrooms collected from the Mazatec tribe. Wasson then detailed his discovery in Life magazine, sparking widespread public interest.
In the 1960s, psilocybin became closely associated with hippie culture and sparked huge debates that shaped the psychedelic revolution.
The Global Crackdown
In 1971, psilocybin was classified as a Schedule 1 substance by the United Nations Convention on Psychotropic Substances, along with LSD and DMT. This led to widespread criminalization in Western countries, including Canada and the U.S., severely limiting therapeutic and spiritual practices.
Resurgence in Contemporary Society
Today, psilocybin has seen a loosening of strict regulations, with legal efforts beginning with decriminalization. A growing body of clinical research strongly asserts the drug’s medical potential. A 2004 pilot study revived interest in psilocybin as a treatment for mental health disorders, including:
- Depression, Anxiety, and Stress
- Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Obsessive-compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- Drug Abuse (Curbing Excessive Alcohol and Drug Use)
The Media’s and Art’s Role
Films like Fantastic Fungi by Louie Schwartzberg and Michael Pollan’s book How to Change Your Mind have increased public awareness and renewed interest in psilocybin’s cultural and therapeutic significance.
Key Historical Figures
- María Sabina: A Mazatec shaman and poet from Mexico. Sabina allowed Wasson to witness her mushroom ceremonies, playing a pivotal role in introducing psilocybin to the Western world.
- R. Gordon Wasson: An author credited with bringing global attention to psilocybin. His detailed experience with Sabina brought widespread awareness of its local use.
- Terence McKenna: A prominent advocate for psychedelics. Through lectures, books, and research, McKenna popularized the Stoned Ape hypothesis and the cultural and philosophical significance of psilocybin.
The Timeline
| Prehistoric | Usage evidenced by stone art in the Sahara, Africa (c. 9000 BC) |
| Ancient | Maya and Aztec civilizations used teonanácatl in religious and spiritual rituals. |
| 16th Century | Spanish suppression due to association with Indigenous beliefs. |
| 18th Century | In 1799, four children were accidentally fed Psilocybe semilanceata, sparking early accounts of negative consequences. |
| 20th Century | Wasson and Sabina introduced shrooms to the Western world. The psychedelic revolution started with hippie culture. The UN later classified psilocybin as Schedule 1. |
| 21st Century | Clinical research is emerging to prove its medical potential. Health Canada opened a Special Access Program for treatment-resistant depression. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Amanita muscaria part of the Psilocybe cubensis species?
No. Amanita muscaria does not contain the active compounds found in Psilocybe cubensis. The psychoactive drugs in fly agaric are muscimol and ibotenic acid, not psilocybin.
Is Soma similar to Ayahuasca?
One hypothesis theorizes Soma was a concoction of many psychoactive plants — similarly, ayahuasca is a psychoactive brew. The only account relating the two is that soma is considered an ayahuasca analogue by some scholars.
What is Psilocybe mexicana?
It is the species from which Albert Hofmann first isolated psilocybin and psilocin in 1958, collected from the Mazatec region of Mexico.