Researchers from the National Institute of Sciences of Archeology and Heritage (INSAP) in Morocco, in collaboration with international experts, have just uncovered fascinating evidence of medicinal uses of plants by human communities there are 15,000 years in the Taforalt cave. This study, published in the journal Nature, reveals that in full stone age, the inhabitants of this region of North Africa had a depth knowledge of the therapeutic properties of certain plants, in particular the ephedra, recognized for its analgesic effects and Hemostatics.
By analyzing exceptionally well -preserved organic vestiges, the team demonstrates that prehistoric companies employed sophisticated medical and funeral practices, questioning current perceptions about the medical capacities of ancient populations. This discovery sheds unprecedented light on the healing practices of these superior Paleolithic hunters.
A cave rich in archaeological discoveries
The Taforalt cave, discovered in 1908 in Morocco, is the oldest known funeral site in North Africa. It houses at least 34 skeletons dating back to the late Stone Age. They testify to the social and ritual practices of the Iberomaurus communities who lived there 15,000 years ago. Since then, intensive excavations have revealed particularly elaborate funeral rituals, including symbolic practices associated with passing rites. Among these practices, dental avulsion, a voluntary extraction of teeth practiced on adolescents, probably symbolized the transition to adulthood.
In addition to human remains, researchers discovered vestiges of medicinal plants, in particular the ephedra. The ephedra is a well-known medicinal plant, and the macro-strengths of this plant associated with human activity discovered in this cave are the oldest ever recorded.
Drawing showing the location of the bones in situ of the individual 14 (in blue), core of cufflink horn (in gray), ocher stone (in dark and red gray), animal bone (in yellow), bracts of ephedra cones (in points red), shell (large green point), limits of the funeral pit (dotted line). The photo on the right side shows a pair of bracts of archaeological ephedra cones. © J. Morales et al., 2024
These plants suggest therapeutic use integrated into funeral rites. They probably aimed to appease pain and stop bleeding. According to Dr. Abdeljalil Bouzouggar, director of the INSAP, the use of the ephedra by these communities testifies to an impressive mastery of the healing properties of the surrounding flora, long before the Neolithic era. This discovery shows that the inhabitants of Taforalt, beyond the spiritual and ritual aspects of their practices, had a precise knowledge of the plants and their efficiency.
Ephedra: a plant at the heart of medicinal practices
The ephedra is a well -known medicinal plant in traditional medicine for its active alkaloids. And in particular ephedrine, an effective compound in the relief of congestion and the treatment of respiratory conditions. These alkaloids act as powerful stimulants. They promote decongestion of the respiratory tract and the appeasement of certain symptoms linked to respiratory diseases. In the context of the Taforalt cave, analyzes of ephedra macrofossils reveal that this plant was probably used for its hemostatic effects. In other words, it was used for its ability to stop bleeding, as well as its analgesic properties to alleviate pain.
The fruits of the ephedra were discovered in a specific area of the cave, which was used for burial according to special funeral rituals. Direct dating for the ephedra and human remains indicate that they were contemporary.
Frontal, lateral and transverse sections of bracts of archaeological and modern ephedra cones. © J. Morales et al., 2024
It is likely that the ephedra was used to relieve the pain linked to rituals, such as dental avulsion. Or to prepare bodies in their passage in the afterlife, an act imprinted with respect and symbolism. By including the ephedra in these practices, the Taforalt communities demonstrated a fine understanding of the benefits of this plant. But they also proved their ability to adapt knowledge to the spiritual and practical needs of their society. This discovery highlights the essential place of the ephedra in the customs of the time. We better understand the complex relationships between prehistoric men and their natural environment. Nature served as a resource for both survival and for cultural and ritual practices.
Healing rituals and primitive surgery in Taforalt
The discovery of a trepanation practiced 15,000 years ago in the Taforalt cave improves the understanding of the medical capacities of prehistoric communities. Trimanation is to unravel the skull in a controlled manner. This is obviously a complex intervention requiring precise knowledge to avoid brain damage. We must also be able to limit the risk of infection. The individual concerned presented a clear circular opening on the skull, with signs of bone regeneration around the wound. The latter attest that this person had survived the operation. This type of surgery seems to have been carried out for therapeutic purposes, perhaps to relieve intracranial pressure or severe pain. The success of this intervention, in a context so distant from modern medicine, reveals surprising technical skill and unusual medical know-how for the time.
The researchers suggest that the use of plants like the ephedra was able to play a key role in the healing process. Especially for its anti-inflammatory and hemostatic properties. The application of such plants after surgery would have helped reduce pain and promote healing. This thus increased the chances of survival of the individual. This level of medical competence indicates that the communities of Taforalt undermine certain advanced care techniques. They used natural resources not only to deal with simple conditions, but also to support surgical interventions. By associating medical practices and herbalist knowledge, these prehistoric populations testify to a sophisticated relationship with nature.
A reconsideration of prehistoric medicinal knowledge thanks to Taforalt
This discovery therefore questions the classic conceptions of the medical skills of prehistoric communities. It reveals knowledge of care and treatment of conditions much more advanced than imagined. We considered the groups of hunters of the Stone Age as limited to rudimentary survival practices. However, they demonstrate here an ability to develop complex medical treatments, long before the advent of the first agricultural companies. The use of the ephedra dates from some 15,000 years. About 8,000 years before the start of the Neolithic period.
The results of this study offer an exceptional overview of the adaptability of the first human groups, faced with the physical and social challenges imposed by their environment. The integration of plants like the ephedra into their medical and spiritual practices testifies to an ancestral knowledge which goes beyond temporal and geographic constraints, stressing the ingenuity of these societies. By continuing to explore and analyze organic remains and discovered artifacts, researchers hope to gradually reconstruct the extent of the medicinal knowledge of these prehistoric peoples. This understanding will enrich our vision of the technical skills of these communities. It will also make it possible to grasp the evolution of the human relationship with the natural world. A foundation of our modern medicinal practices.
Source: Morales, J., Carrión Marco, Y., Cooper, J. H. et al., “Late Pleistocene Exploitation of Epmedra In a funerary context in morocco ”. SCI REP 1426443 (2024).
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