A team from Morocco’s National Institute of Archaeology and Heritage announced a find that expands our understanding of medical practices in the ancient world.
What Did Scientists Learn?
Recently, Moroccan archaeologists uncovered remains of ephedra plants dating back 15,000 years in the Grotte des Pigeons cave in eastern Morocco, also known as Taforalt.
Since the archaeological site was discovered in 1908, ongoing excavations have continuously revealed new insights into life in prehistoric North Africa.
Ephedra is a common name for more than 60 species of evergreen shrubs, most of which have medicinal uses.
At this site, considered the oldest cemetery in North Africa, archaeologists found 34 skeletons of Iberomaurusians from the late Stone Age (Paleolithic).
Researchers determined that the ephedra plant, whose fossilized fruits were discovered in Taforalt, was widely used by these prehistoric people. Radiocarbon dating confirmed that the ephedra samples and the human remains belonged to the same period, Arkeonews reported.
During that time, human communities used this plant in burial rites and for medicinal purposes, including treating colds and reducing bleeding. The inhabitants of the Grotte des Pigeons understood the properties of ephedra.
Fifteen thousand years ago, the people at Taforalt had extensive knowledge of how to use plants. In the same cave, researchers previously found evidence of the earliest known surgical operation on a skull. The individual who underwent the procedure survived and may have withstood the pain thanks to ephedra’s healing effects. During the operation, the people used complex techniques, which suggests a relatively high level of medical knowledge. The findings were published in the journal Nature.
