These notes, which originally appeared in Ciba Symposia with essays by Dr. Victor Robinson (See Book Two, Chapter 8), are of particular interest because of the anthropological evidence they offer regarding the use of a consciousness-expanding herb —hemp—as the central ritualistic communion device in the establishment of a new primitive religion.

The Use of Hashish in a Cult
The explorer Hermann von Wissmann (1853-1905) visited the Baloubas, a Bantu tribe of the Belgian Congo, as well as the tribes subject to them. He relates that in 1888 KalambaMoukenge, the Balouba chief, in order to strengthen the kingdom that he had founded by conquest, and to link together in one cult the diverse subjugated tribes, had the ancient fetishes burned publicly, and replaced the worship of these idols with a new ritual which consisted essentially in the smoking of hashish.

On all important occasions, such as holidays or the conclusion of a treaty or alliance, the Balouba smoke hemp in gourds which may be as much as one meter in circumference. In addition, the men gather each evening in the main square where they solemnly smoke hemp together. But hemp is also used for punishment. The delinquent is compelled to smoke a particularly strong portion until he loses consciousness. The subjects of Kalamba began to smoke hemp with such passion that they ended by calling themselves "bena-Riamba" (sons of hemp), after the name which this plant has in their language. Remnants of hemp dating from prehistoric times were discovered in 1896 in northern Europe when the German archaeologist Hermann Busse opened a tomb containing a funerary urn at Wilmersdorf (Brandenberg). The vessel in question contained sand in which were mixed remnants of plants. It dated from the 5th century B.C. The botanist Ludwig Wittmaack (1839— 1929) was able to find among this plant débris fragments of the seed and pericarp of Cannabis sativa L. At the session of the Berlin Society for Anthropology, Ethnology and Prehistory on May 15, 1897, Busse presented a report on his discovery and drew the conclusion that hemp had already been known in northern Europe in prehistoric times. But Rudolf Virchow (1821-1902) threw doubt on this interpretation that hemp had already been known in northern Europe at such an early time. He expressed the hypothesis that the hemp in question might have been introduced into the vase much later. The close examination of the place where the urn was found, and of its position, which Busse undertook at the time of discovery showed that this conjecture could be discarded. Furthermore, one must agree with C. Hartwich that hemp was already employed in northern Europe at the same time that it was by the Chinese and the Scythians for food and pleasure. All that remains is to determine whether hemp was imported from the Orient or whether it was already cultivated in the country.

The use of hemp in the manufacture of ropes and fabrics seems to have been introduced rather late. Not a single passage is to be found in the writings and mural inscriptions of the ancient Egyptians and Hebrews which makes any allusion to such usage. Herodotus, on the other hand, reports that the inhabitants of Thrace made clothes from hemp fibers. It is related that Hiero (3rd century a.c.), tyrant of Syracuse, had hemp brought from Rhodanus (the country of the Rhône7) in order to equip a ship. Pausanias (2nd century p.c.) mentions that hemp and other textile plants were cultivated in Elide; and Pliny the Elder (A.D. 23-79) relates that the sails and cordage of the Roman galleys were made of hemp. Until the end of the 19th century, hemp played an important role because of the industrial exploitation of its fibers. Today hemp is cultivated on a large scale, chiefly in Russia, Italy, and Yugoslavia.

Formerly, besides the fibers, use was made of the seed, from which as much as 20% to 30% oil was extracted. This was utilized chiefly for illumination and the manufacture of soap. The residue, or bagasse, was used as fishbait and as fertilizer.