Theses and Dissertations

ORCID

https://orcid.org/0009-0002-3270-0821

Advisor

Lambert, Shawn P.

Committee Member

Boudreaux, Edmond A.

Committee Member

Miller, Darcy Shane

Date of Degree

8-13-2024

Original embargo terms

Visible MSU Only 2 Years

Document Type

Graduate Thesis - Campus Access Only

Major

Applied Anthropology

Degree Name

Master of Arts (M.A.)

College

College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Department of Anthropology and Middle Eastern Cultures

Abstract

Plants and ceramics play a crucial role in many Indigenous cultures, used in food preparation and rituals. Datura is a plant found in the Southeast and is known for its medicinal and hallucinogenic properties. The Indigenous cultures that used Datura in their rituals had to develop an understanding of the plant and how to use it. Datura contains specific alkaloids, which are used for medicinal purposes but can be lethal if consumed incorrectly. Being aware of the danger of consuming Datura incorrectly, the Indigenous people had to create a system of extracting the hallucinogenic properties for their ritual and medicinal uses. This thesis examines unique vessels from the Central Arkansas River Valley that contain the residue of Datura through the use of experimental archaeology and residue analysis to gain insights into how Indigenous people made and used these vessels in the production and consumption of Datura.

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