c. 700 CEPeer-reviewed · 2 sourcesWell documented

The Maya and Sacred Tobacco

On the timeline · around c. 700 CE ·

What happened

The Maya used tobacco in ceremony, medicine and daily life. Chemical analysis of a Late Classic Maya flask from Mexico detected nicotine residue, directly confirming tobacco use around 700 CE.

Why it matters

It is some of the hardest scientific evidence for ancient tobacco use, showing how deeply the plant was woven into Mesoamerican culture.

Sources

Scientific Reports (PMC / NIH). Metabolomics-based analysis of miniature flask contents identifies tobacco mixture use among the ancient Maya · Peer-reviewed
World History Encyclopedia. A Brief History of Tobacco in the Americas · Reputable source

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The Maya Civilization → — Tobacco was sacred to the Maya

Part of a timelineTobacco19 events · From sacred Indigenous plant to global commodity to the deadliest habit in history — the rise of tobacco, the science that exposed its cost, and the long fight to control it.View all →