Ritual revealed: psychotropic substances in a Ptolemaic Egyptian vase.
The investigation into origins and meaning of ancient religious rituals is a central research topic in archaeology and anthropology. Today, we possess a wealth of well-preserved artifacts, often in their original form, that serve as compelling narratives from both cultural and material perspectives. Through the application of integrated analytical techniques and the development of customized methodologies, we have gained the ability to decipher and extract biomolecular evidence from the organic residues of those natural substances employed for ritualistic or medicinal purposes within the intricate religious and cultural frameworks of ancient Egyptian civilization.