Lesson 1: Ancient Origins and Early Uses

Hemp has been cultivated for over 10,000 years, throughout various cultures, places worldwide, and many uses. This is a brief and simplified history of this remarkable plant.

For those with a familiarity with cannabis, it is evident that this renowned botanical species can be broadly categorized into two distinct types: marijuana (cannabis indica) and hemp (cannabis sativa). While the former is frequently sought after for its recreational and medicinal properties, the latter holds a venerable status as an agricultural staple, with its utilization dating back millennia in human history. Notwithstanding the enduring stigma attached to cannabis, it is a historical fact that hemp has served as an invaluable resource for the production of textiles, sustenance, and even as a conduit for spiritual and ceremonial practices. In the era preceding the War on Drugs, hemp played a pivotal role in providing ancient civilizations with the means to clothe themselves and secure their sustenance.

10,000 BC – The first proof of hemp appears in Taiwan.

8,000 BC – Ancient Mesopotamians began using hemp cloth.

4,000 BC – Chinese civilizations are already using hemp widely.

3,500 BC – Archeological evidence shows hemp was in Egypt.

2,300 BC – The first written reference to hemp.

2,000 BC – Hindu sacred texts stated hemp as “Sacred Grass, 1 of the five sacred plants in India

2,000 BC – Hemp begins to make its way across the globe.

1,500 BC – While raiding Europe, the Scythians uncover hemp.

1,400 BC – Indians start to use hemp.

800 BC – Archeological findings show that the Mediterranean Punic people utilized hemp.

600 BC – Hemp rope found in southern Russia

500 BC – Mentions of hemp appear in the work of Greek writers.

500 BC – Archaeologists discovered a jar of hemp seed and leave in Berlin, Germany, 

200 BC – Greek ships begin to employ hemp rope.

79 AD – Hemp crops up in the Roman Empire.

100 AD – Proof of hashish use in Siberia.

140 AD – Hemp shows up in Britain.

400 AD – The British started cultivating hemp.

800 AD – The Vikings in Northern Scandinavia start to cultivate hemp.

900 - 1000 AD – Cannabis and hemp spread throughout Arabia.

1253 AD – The Army in Cairo attacks and closes the hashish Gardens of Cavour.

1533 AD – Britain mandates farmers to grow hemp.

1545 AD – The demand for hemp is so high that it leads to a shortage as only a few countries produce it at the time.