title: Ceramic evidence for prehistoric Datura use in North America.
abstract: Striking similarities in the details of the medicinal and ceremonial use of the genus Datura are known over a wide area in aboriginal North America, especially in the region extending from the Southwestern United States to Southern Mexico and Guatemala. Over this same geographical area there have been found a number of ceramic forms bearing a marked resemblance to the distinctive spiny fruit characteristic of the North American species of this genus. These so-called "spiked" or "hobnailed" ceramic forms are thought to represent objects that were associated with Datura use in pre-historic times, and the occurrence of these forms in archaeology sites may be of cultural/historical importance.
mesh_terms: D001106:Archaeology; D002516:Ceramics; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D013286:Datura stramonium; D049690:History, Ancient; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American / Q000266:history*; D009656:North America; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D010947:Plants, Toxic