World Chronicles of Hemp
While seedless bananas might not have existed prior to 8000 BCE, Hemp surely did. The history of this plant is almost as rich and vibrant as the plant itself, from being used in ancient Egyptian medicine to being used in the production of paper in China, the use of Hemp is well-recorded throughout the major civilizations of the world.
Historical Precedents of Hemp Use
From being part of sacred rituals to being utilized in everyday items, archaeologists have discovered Hemp being used in various artifacts across the globe. The close connection that humans have had throughout history with the Hemp plant is apparent, and its impact has percolated well enough to the present. Hemp is thought to have originated in Central Asia, in the Mesopotamian valley and the Huang He valley in China, expanding from these regions to the west and the Mediterranean.
Hemp was used in China for textiles, food, medicine and weapons (Since hemp fibers made stronger bowstrings), and even though no hemp clothes have survived the ravages of time from the 8000 BCE, the imprints of hemp cords on pottery suggest that Hemp fibers were being used to weave clothes as well. From a period of 8000 BCE to 87 BCE hemp has made an appearance in almost all major historical records of prominent civilizations of the time, with Greek Historians exalting it in their written works. With the dawn of the Common Era, Hemp formed an integral crop for human settlements, with it forming a part of the human diet as a major source of nutrients.
Use of Hemp in Ancient Medicine
Around 100 CE, Ayurvedic Practitioners and Greek Physicians made allusions to the use of Hemp in medical treatises to treat various illnesses, even including it in spiritual and religious processes. From the 1700s Hemp was being used in factories to produce all kinds of things, hitting a minor speed bump around the years 1920-1930s when the use of hemp for manufacturing purposes was halted, with several big players including pharmaceutical companies discrediting the benefits of hemp.
Why is Hemp not a Household Name today?
Hemp on its Way Back
In the intervening years, hemp cultivation had been halted in several regions across the world, but influential fashion labels slowly paved the way for Hemp to gain popularity again after incorporating the use of its fibers in their clothing lines. Even the very written records that survive to this day containing Hemp’s praises have persisted because of the durability of the hemp fibers. Colonizers and natives alike included hemp in a variety of industries ranging from food to weapons. Hemp has become an important part of history, and the entire chronicle of this versatile plant could fill up volumes.