The Significance of Pharmacological and Biological Indicators in Identifying Historical uses of Amanita muscaria

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Fly Agaric Press
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The Significance of Pharmacological and Biological Indicators in Identifying Historical uses of Amanita muscaria

Post by Fly Agaric Press » Tue Oct 27, 2020 12:18 am

The Significance of Pharmacological and Biological Indicators in Identifying Historical uses of Amanita muscaria

Abstract:
Since the publication of R. Gordon Wasson’s “Soma: Divine Mushroom of Immortality” theories have abounded regarding potential historical mushroom cults involving the use of Amanita muscaria. Due to the evanescent nature of mushroom fruiting bodies there is little chance of finding mushroom specimens in the archaeological record; thus research in this area has relied largely upon studies of art, linguistics and mythology. While many of these researchers have offered varying levels of support for their theories, drawing parallels between color schemes, mushroom shapes, and mushroom biology, few have thoroughly investigated historical clues of a pharmacological nature. While Wasson discussed the ecstasies that can be produced by hallucinogenic mushrooms, and argued that the Soma cult involved ritual ingestion of Amanita infused urine, he failed to address how preparation, as described in the Rig Veda, affected the pharmacology of Amanita muscaria and also ignored possible indicators of historical knowledge regarding the muscarinic properties of this mushroom. Another examination of the evidence, for historical use of this mushroom, which seeks to identify cultural knowledge of Amanita muscaria’s peculiar pharmacology may further bolster theories identifying its use. In order to demonstrate the significance of such an investigation - evidence for use of this mushroom amongst the ancient Aryans, in Mesoamerica, and among Germanic groups will be examined with an eye to uncovering pharmacological evidence supporting a finding of Amanita muscaria use.

Link: https://www.researchgate.net/publicatio ... a_muscaria
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