News in Brief Archaeology

An ancient pouch reveals the hallucinogen stash of an Andes shaman

The find had traces of mind-altering chemicals, including some used to make ayahuasaca

fox snout pouch

NOSY BUNDLE  Among the items in a South American shaman’s bag from 1,000 years ago was a pouch made of three fox snouts stitched together (foreground) along with a woven headband.

Courtesy of Juan V. Albarracin-Jordan and José M. Capriles

By Bruce Bower

- More than 2 years ago

A leather bag stuffed with ritual items, found high in the Andes Mountains, has yielded rare clues to South American shamans’ hallucinatory visions around 1,000 years ago.