Metabolomics-based analysis of miniature flask contents identifies tobacco mixture use among the ancient Maya

Mario Zimmermann,David R Gang,Korey J Brownstein,Iliana Ancona Aragón,Shannon Tushingham,Luis Pantoja Díaz,Barry Kidder,Scott Hutson

doi:10.1038/s41598-021-81158-y

Abstract

A particular type of miniature ceramic vessel locally known as “veneneras” is occasionally found during archaeological excavations in the Maya Area. To date, only one study of a collection of such containers successfully identified organic residues through coupled chromatography–mass spectrometry methods. That study identified traces of nicotine likely associated with tobacco. Here we present a more complete picture by analyzing a suite of possible complementary ingredients in tobacco mixtures across a collection of 14 miniature vessels. The collection includes four different vessel forms and allows for the comparison of specimens which had previously formed part of museum exhibitions with recently excavated, untreated containers. Archaeological samples were compared with fresh as well as cured reference materials from two different species of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum and N. rustica). In addition, we sampled six more plants which are linked to mind-altering practices through Mesoamerican ethnohistoric or ethnographic records. Analyses were conducted using UPLC-MS metabolomics-based analytical techniques, which significantly expand the possible detection of chemical compounds compared to previous biomarker-focused studies. Results include the detection of more than 9000 residual chemical features. We trace, for the first time, the presence of Mexican marigold (Tagetes lucida) in presumptive polydrug mixtures.

Highlights

A particular type of miniature ceramic vessel locally known as “veneneras” is occasionally found during archaeological excavations in the Maya Area
Being only the second study of this type, the patterns emerging from the application of ancient residue metabolomics established by Brownstein et al.[33] are relevant for future research regarding specific molecular residue signatures in ancient ceramics
By focusing on the entire set of extractable compounds, rather than a preselected suite of biomarkers, we were able to observe that post-recovery treatment does impact chemical residue datasets significantly

Summary

Introduction

A particular type of miniature ceramic vessel locally known as “veneneras” is occasionally found during archaeological excavations in the Maya Area. In Mesoamerica, native communities such as the Nahua and Maya feature ritual specialists or shamans who communicate with supernatural entities and ancestors through ASCs induced by ingesting psychoactive plants as well as other pathways. De la Garza[19] states tobacco is likely the most important sacred plant for the ritual and daily lives of Mesoamerican people. She refers to N. rustica rather than the more commonly known N. tabacum, which forms the base of present-day commercial products. Throughout this article, we follow Loughmiller-Cardinal and Zagorevski[20] in not making a priori assumptions about vessel contents and apply the neutral term “miniature flasks”

Methods

Results

Conclusion