Sarah Brown
Mushrooms, or the kingdom Fungi, have been around for a long time. The first mushrooms are believed to have evolved between 715 and 810 million years ago, and fossils suggest they were important partners for the first plants that colonized the Earth's surface. The terms mushroom and toadstool date back centuries, with the earliest depiction of hallucinogenic mushroom use coming from a 4000 BCE cave painting in Spain. Mushrooms became popular in popular culture during the 1960s and 1970s, particularly the infamous 'magic mushrooms' or Psilocybe fungi, which have been significant in Indigenous Mesoamerican cultures for centuries. Today, psilocybin, the psychoactive compound in magic mushrooms, is at the forefront of a mental health revolution, showing promise in treating PTSD and depression.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Earliest use of hallucinogenic mushrooms | 4000 BCE cave painting in Spain |
| Popularization of psychedelic mushrooms | Media highlighting the benefits of psychedelics |
| Psychedelic staple | 60s and 70s |
| Current use | At the forefront of a mental health revolution |
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What You'll Learn
- Magic mushrooms have been significant in Indigenous Mesoamerican cultures for centuries
- The first mushrooms may have evolved 715-810 million years ago
- The terms 'mushroom' and 'toadstool' emerged in the 14th-16th centuries
- Media highlighting the benefits of psychedelics has popularised shrooms
- The earliest depiction of hallucinogenic mushroom use is a 4000 BCE cave painting in Spain
Magic mushrooms have been significant in Indigenous Mesoamerican cultures for centuries
The use of magic mushrooms has been significant in Indigenous Mesoamerican cultures for centuries. In the Nahuatl language, the word "teonanacatl" literally means "the flesh of God". Archaeological evidence of mushroom use in Mesoamerica dates back to around 3000 BC, with mushroom stones found in ritual contexts. The Olmec, Zapotec, Maya, and Aztec peoples all used hallucinogenic mushrooms, along with other psychoactive substances, in healing rituals and religious ceremonies. These mushrooms were considered sacred, and their ritual use continued even after the Spanish colonisation of Mexico in the 16th century.
In the 1950s, the ritual use of hallucinogenic mushrooms was discovered to be alive and well in certain small villages in the central highlands of Mexico. Notably, in 1953, the North American banker and mycology enthusiast Robert Gordon Wasson, along with the renowned mycologist Robert Heim and the indigenous language and culture expert Guy Stresser-Péan, ventured into the village of Huautla de Jiménez in Oaxaca, Mexico. There, they met the shaman María Sabina and learned about the continued use of hallucinogenic mushrooms in Indigenous rituals.
The consumption of hallucinogenic mushrooms in Indigenous Mesoamerican cultures has persisted despite centuries of Christianisation and colonisation. This is evident in the discovery of frescoes dating back to the classical period (300-600 AD) near the pyramids of Teotihuacan, which depict mushrooms alongside other hallucinogenic plants.
Today, in the mountainous region of the Sierra Mazatec in Oaxaca, several species of hallucinogenic mushrooms grow during the rainy season between June and September. Local shamans and healers continue to use these mushrooms in ritual ceremonies, demonstrating the enduring significance of magic mushrooms in Indigenous Mesoamerican cultures.
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The first mushrooms may have evolved 715-810 million years ago
The evolution of mushrooms, or the kingdom Fungi, is a mysterious topic. Fungi diverged from other life forms around 1.5 billion years ago, with the glomaleans branching from the "higher fungi" (dikaryans) around 570 million years ago.
Fungi likely colonized the land during the Cambrian, over 500 million years ago, and possibly as early as 635 million years ago during the Ediacaran. However, the earliest terrestrial fungus fossils, or fungus-like fossils, found in South China, date back to around 635 million years ago.
Now, a new study has revealed that the first mushrooms may have evolved between 715 and 810 million years ago, 300 million years earlier than previously believed. Fossilized remains of mycelium, a network of interconnected microscopic strands, were discovered in rocks from the Democratic Republic of Congo. These rocks are estimated to be between 715 and 810 million years old, dating back to when life on Earth's surface was just beginning.
The discovery sheds light on the potential role of mushrooms as important partners for the first plants that colonized the continental surface. This finding contradicts previous assumptions, which were based on the morphology of organic remains extracted using corrosive acid compounds. The new study employed multiple molecular analysis techniques, including synchrotron radiation spectroscopy and electron microscopy, to identify the ancient fungal remains.
The research, led by Steeve Bonneville from the Université libre de Bruxelles, highlights the need to reconsider our timeline of the evolution of organisms on Earth and encourages further exploration of ancient rocks to uncover the origins of the animal kingdom.
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The terms 'mushroom' and 'toadstool' emerged in the 14th-16th centuries
The terms "mushroom" and "toadstool" emerged in the English language in the 14th and 16th centuries, with the earliest usage of "toadstool" recorded in the 14th century and various iterations of the word "mushroom" appearing in the 15th and 16th centuries.
The word "toadstool" is believed to have originated as a reference to a stool for toads, implying that it was inedible and poisonous. The term "mushroom," on the other hand, may have derived from the French word "mousseron," referring to moss ("mousse"). During the 15th and 16th centuries, variations of the word "mushroom" were used, including mushrom, mushrum, muscheron, mousheroms, mussheron, and musserouns.
While the terms emerged during this time period, there was no precise definition or consensus on their application. The differentiation between edible and poisonous fungi was not clear-cut, and both "mushroom" and "toadstool" could refer to either edible or poisonous varieties.
In early modern England, mushrooms were often associated with filth and decadence, and there was a degree of hostility and stigma surrounding their consumption. Seventeenth-century sources advise against consuming "Mushroms or Toadstooles," describing them as "venomous." However, manuscript recipe collections from the same period do include recipes for pickling and preserving mushrooms, indicating that they were consumed despite the negative connotations.
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Media highlighting the benefits of psychedelics has popularised shrooms
The use of mushrooms, or shrooms, for their psychedelic effects is not a new phenomenon. For millennia, Amazonian indigenous groups have used ayahuasca, a psychoactive plant tea, for medicinal and religious purposes. However, the popular perception of psychedelics in Western culture has been tainted by stigmatisation and perceptions of risk and danger.
Despite this, the past decade has seen an increasing focus on research into the therapeutic applications of psychedelics, with a growing body of research highlighting their efficacy in treating a broad range of medical conditions. This includes the use of ayahuasca to treat depression, anxiety, addiction, PTSD, and other trauma. Similarly, psilocybin, the active compound in shrooms, has been used to treat smoking addiction, with participants reporting increased aesthetic appreciation, altruism, and pro-social behaviour.
This research has been positively represented in the media, helping to shift public perception of psychedelics. A 2017 YouGov study found that public perceptions in the United States were becoming more positive, with the majority (63%) open to medical treatment with psychedelics if faced with a pertinent medical condition. This shift in public perception has been reflected in regulatory changes, with psilocybin and other organic psychedelics decriminalised in several cities and states across the United States and Canada.
The media's highlighting of the benefits of psychedelics has thus played a crucial role in popularising shrooms, helping to overcome historical misperceptions and reduce the stigma surrounding their use. This has created a positive feedback loop, where media coverage encourages further research and regulatory changes, which in turn generate more newsworthy developments to report on.
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The earliest depiction of hallucinogenic mushroom use is a 4000 BCE cave painting in Spain
The use of hallucinogenic mushrooms has a long and intriguing history, stretching back thousands of years. The earliest known depiction of mushroom use is indeed a cave painting located in the province of Castellón, Spain, which dates back to around 4000 BCE. This ancient artwork provides a fascinating glimpse into the rituals and cultural significance of mushrooms in the Neolithic period.
The cave painting, discovered in a rock shelter, depicts several figures in a ceremonial setting, with one central figure holding what appears to be a bunch of mushrooms. The mushrooms are believed to be of the species Psilocybe hispanica, a potent hallucinogen native to the region. This discovery suggests that not only were mushrooms known and utilized by these ancient societies, but they also played a significant role in their cultural and spiritual practices.
The painting indicates a long history of human interaction with psychoactive substances, and the use of mushrooms for ritualistic and spiritual purposes suggests a deep understanding of their effects. While the specific cultural context of the painting may be lost to history, it stands as a testament to the importance of mushrooms in the spiritual and cultural life of ancient societies.
It is worth noting that the use of hallucinogenic mushrooms has been documented in various ancient cultures around the world, including the indigenous peoples of Mesoamerica and South America. However, the Spanish cave painting is currently the earliest known record of mushroom use, highlighting the long and global history of their utilization.
This discovery adds to the growing body of evidence that psychoactive substances, including hallucinogenic plants and fungi, have played a significant role in the spiritual and cultural practices of ancient societies across the globe. The use of mushrooms in ancient Spain indicates a complex understanding of their effects and their integration into cultural rituals and ceremonies.
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Frequently asked questions
The first mushrooms are believed to have evolved between 715 and 810 million years ago.
Psilocybe fungi, or "magic mushrooms", became popular in the 60s and 70s as a psychedelic staple. They have also been depicted in a 4000 BCE cave painting in Spain.
Mushrooms have recently become more popular in media, with films like "Fantastic Fungi" and books like "How to Change Your Mind" by Michael Pollan highlighting the benefits of psychedelics.
The term "toadstool" first appeared in 14th-century England, while the term "mushroom" and its variations were used in the 15th and 16th centuries.
