Reader refutes claims made by Zoroastrians

Editor:

In response to the article “Church of Cognizance out of line with Zoroastrian religion” by Adam Gaub: Despite the statements made in Adam Gaub’s article by modern-day American descendants of the Zoroa-strian religion claiming that marijuana was not the plant used for the sacramental haoma, the reality of the matter is this: The American Zoroastrian community itself acknowledges that the identity of the true haoma has been lost to time.

In the case of Persian references, despite the claims of the North American Mobeds Council, a number of orthodox Zoroastrian sources see haoma as “very possibly ‘marijuana’ or ‘hashish’ (Cannabis Sativa).” (The Zarathustran Assembly)

Interestingly, in our own time, the questions around the identity of the haoma have been answered by the archeological find of an ancient proto-Zoroastrian fire temple in the Kara Kum Desert just outside Iran. The excavation by Russian archeologist Victor Sariandidi of this site has answered the soma riddle by showing through fossilized plant material and artifacts that soma was a preparation of hemp and ephedra.

Soviet archeologists un-covered a large shrine, about the size of a football field, dating from 2,000 B.C. and consisting of two parts, one of which was obviously for the public, but the other, as researcher Richard Rudgeley describes, “hidden from the gaze of the multitude, an inner sanctum of the priesthood. In one of these private rooms were found three ceramic bowls.

“Analysis of samples found in these vessels by Professor Mayer-Melikyan revealed the traces of both cannabis and ephedra. Clearly both these psychoactive substances had been used in conjunction in the making of hallucinogenic drinks. In the adjoining room of the same inner sanctum were found 10 ceramic pot-stands (that) appear to have been used in conjunction with strainers designed to separate the juices from the twigs, stems and leaves of the plants. In another room at the other end of the shrine, a basin containing remains of a considerable quantity of cannabis was discovered, as well as a number of pottery stands and strainers that have also been associated with making psychoactive beverages.” (Rudgley, 1998)

Remnants from vessels recovered at the site and involved in the preparation of the sacred drink have impressions from cannabis seeds left in the gypsum that settled over the millennia and the remnants of ephedra, poppy and mostly cannabis in the white sediment stuck to the sides of ancient pots and pitchers. Russian archeologist Victor Sariandidi says this proves these plants were used for making the soma haoma drinks. (Sariandidi 2003)

A slightly later but related site “revealed remains of ephedra again, but this time in conjunction with the pollen of poppies.”

This archeological evidence goes a long way to answering the riddle of the ancient soma; it accounts for the current use of one of the main candidates, ephedra, as it was a part of the original ingredients. As well, the later use of opium poppies indicate other plants may have later been used as a substitute for cannabis, and this may, in fact, be the source of much of the confusion on this issue. Possibly, when the Aryans left their homeland, access to haoma became more difficult, and when the original plant was not available, other herbs were used as a substitute. This is a suggestion of Mircea Eliade, who wrote that whatever plant was used by the Indo-Aryans in the early centuries, it is certain that it was later replaced by other botanical species. (Eliade 1978)

Either way, ironically, in our own age, we find ourselves having to fight for the right to partake of a plant that can offer us many of the qualities of the ancient and mysterious soma\haoma and even may indeed be that very plant.

Just as both the industrial and medicinal establishments have been forced to acknowledge the miraculous qualities of hemp, so, too, through study of ancient religious texts concerning the herb, and the righteous acts of her many adherents, hopefully the religious establishment shall come to recognize it as the great gift and sacrament that it truly is.

Respectfully,

Chris Bennett

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada