The Evolution of Smoking and Intoxicant Plant Use in Ancient Northwestern North America

Smoking pipes discovered in archaeological contexts demonstrate that Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest North America have practiced smoking for over 4,500 years. Archaeometry and ancient residue metabolomics provide evidence association particular plants with these artifacts. In this article, we synthesize recent research on present current knowledge spatiotemporal distribution past. The presence stone record is paired our understanding past plant use based chemical analyses to create a picture precontact practices. Archaeological pipe data was widely distributed practice inland several thousand years, but not coast. Distributional data—including positive negative from studies—show tobacco an important smoke region as early around 1,410 years ago far north mid-Columbia region. Ancient contributes richer specific through identification species other indigenous plants, including Rhus glabra , Cornus sericia Salvia sp., contributing residues pipes.