Pottery from 14th century BC points to first opium use(7 images)

Pottery, unearthed in an excavation in Yehud, Israel, with opium residue dating back to 14th century BC, is displayed at the Israel Antiquities Authority lab in Jerusalem on September 20, 2022. A joint study by the Israel Antiquities Authority, Tel Aviv University and the Weizmann Institute of Science shows the world's earliest evident of opium use by the Canaanites as an offering for the dead. Photo by Debbie Hill UPI

A closer look at the pottery. The vessels that contained the opium were found in Canaanite graves. Photo by Debbie Hill UPI

The pottery collection includes bowls, vases and more. Photo by Debbie Hill UPI

More pottery that was unearthed in Yehud, Israel. Photo by Debbie Hill UPI