An Ancient Shaman's Toolkit
In the hyper-arid Atacama Desert, archaeologists have uncovered sophisticated kits for processing and inhaling psychoactive substances. These collections, often found in the graves of adult males, date predominantly from the period of Tiwanaku influence (c. 500–1000 CE). A typical kit contains a rectangular wooden snuff tray (tableta), a snuffing tube made of wood or bird bone, a small mortar and pestle, and spatulas. These items were often stored together in a woolen or leather pouch.
Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of powders found in these kits and residues on the paraphernalia has identified several potent psychoactive alkaloids. The most common are N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), 5-hydroxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (bufotenine), and harmine. These compounds originate from plants entirely foreign to the Atacama Desert. The primary source of the DMT and bufotenine was the seed pods of the Anadenanthera colubrina tree, also known as vilca or cebil. Harmine, a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI), comes from the Banisteriopsis caapi vine, an ingredient in modern ayahuasca preparations.
The presence of these compounds shows a deep botanical and chemical knowledge. Ingesting DMT orally has no effect, as the monoamine oxidase enzyme in the human gut breaks it down. The presence of harmine, an MAOI, suggests it was co-administered to inhibit this enzyme, thereby potentiating and extending the psychoactive effects of the tryptamines. This is the same pharmacological principle behind ayahuasca.
Continental Trade and Ritual Use
The vilca tree (Anadenanthera colubrina) grows on the eastern slopes of the Andes and in the Amazon basin, hundreds of kilometers from San Pedro de Atacama. The discovery of its seeds and the associated chemical compounds shows evidence of extensive trade networks. Llama caravans likely traversed the high-altitude plains and mountain passes, connecting the arid Pacific coast with the humid Amazonian regions.
The ritual paraphernalia is full of symbolic imagery, showing the cultural role of these substances. Snuff trays are often carved with figures important to Andean cosmology, such as felines, condors, and staff-bearing anthropomorphic beings associated with the Tiwanaku state. Some trays and tubes feature inlays of turquoise or seashell, affixed with plant resin.
Archaeological context suggests this practice was not recreational. The kits are found in a fraction of burials, typically with high-status males believed to be ritual specialists or shamans. In some cemeteries, up to 20% of tombs contained snuffing tablets. The psychoactive experience was likely a means to communicate with the supernatural world, diagnose illnesses, or lead community rituals. The iconography on the kits, such as the "Sacrificer" figure holding an axe and a trophy head, links their use to core tenets of Andean cosmology.