c. 3400 BCEReputable sourceWell documented
Opium, the Ancient Poppy
On the timeline · around c. 3400 BCE ·
What happened
The opium poppy was cultivated in ancient Mesopotamia, where Sumerians reportedly called it hul gil, the 'joy plant.' Knowledge of opium's pain-killing and euphoric powers spread through Egypt, Greece and the ancient world.
Why it matters
Opium began humanity's long, fraught relationship with the poppy — the source of the most powerful painkillers ever known and of some of its most destructive addictions.
Sources
- Encyclopaedia Britannica. Opium · Reputable source