Ancient cave signs may be the oldest image of a mind-altering plant
Five red bell-shaped signs carved in El Castillo cave (Spain) dating to about 17,000–15,000 years ago may depict belladonna or henbane flowers used in shamanic rituals, potentially making them the oldest known image of a mind-altering plant. The claim rests on the signs’ bell-like silhouette, their altar-like setting, and supporting evidence, with modern DNA techniques potentially testing the idea; however, it remains a hypothesis amid debate over how Paleolithic depictions are interpreted and how common plant imagery is in ancient art.