Did Psychedelic Beer Help an Ancient Empire Expand Its Rule?

Good morning, and happy Monday! Thanks for reading another edition of The Drop In, DoubleBlind’s newsletter delivering independent journalism about psychedelics straight to your inbox.

Today’s lead story is about how an ancient Peruvian empire used psychedelic beer to forge alliances and expand its territory. You can find it below! If you keep scrolling, you’ll also find pieces on Chilean-born artist Mariela de la Paz, how ancient priests from Iran used dream-inducing herbs, and why psychedelics might be more beneficial for seniors than younger generations.

Sorry to be a broken record, but if you plan on partying soon, please test your drugs and carry Narcan (you can find resources on where to locate below). Love you!

Mary Carreón
Senior Editor

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This Ancient Civilization Used Psychedelic Beer Instead of War
New research shows the Wari of ancient Peru used psychedelic beer to forge alliances and expand their empire, one hallucinatory feast at a time.

New findings suggest the Wari Empire of ancient Peru brewed a psychedelic-laced beer as a means of strengthening alliances and expanding political reach, New Atlas reports.

Archaeologists have published new evidence in the journal Antiquity, suggesting that the leaders of the Wari empire — a pre-Incan civilization that thrived in the Peruvian Andes from approximately 500 to 1000 CE — strategically used a psychoactive brew to create and maintain allies, thereby increasing their power. Researchers report that seeds from a psychoactive plant called vilca, which contains bufotenine (also found in the Sonoran Desert Toad), were mixed into chicha, a fermented and frothy beer-like drink, and served during elaborate feasts.

These gatherings were held at the remote Wari outpost of Quilcapampa, and appear to have been more about diplomacy than ritual. It was essentially communal tripping as a form of political persuasion and social cohesion.

While traditional uses of vilca often involve inhalation, no paraphernalia for smoking or inhaling vilca was found at the site, leading researchers to believe that the psychoactive seeds were consumed orally. 

And because the vilca tree didn’t grow anywhere near Quilcapampa, researchers hypothesize that its presence suggests these consumption experiences were rare and exclusive; something only the Wari elite could offer.

“The guests of a feast may become indebted to a host who gave them food and drink,” study co-author Matthew Biwer told Gizmodo. “There is real power in such situations.”

This updated analysis builds on a 2022 report, which first revealed the discovery of 16 vilca seeds buried near a brewing area, presumably dropped during the preparation of chicha. At the time, archaeologists emphasized the role of these dinners in reinforcing existing social hierarchies, “akin to a long, boozy, and likely quite a delightful dinner party,” as study co-author Justin Jennings said. 

What’s clearer now is that those dinners weren’t just social, they were strategic. It’s comparable to inviting someone to a highly exclusive restaurant or club to court them, not just for social reasons, but to close a deal.

Perhaps the most fascinating takeaway from these findings is that political schmoozing is a practice almost as old as time.

Are People Having Life-Changing Trips on Ketamine in the Back of Ambulances?

This Friday, we’re offering up another feature on ketamine — but this time, it’s not about therapy clinics, addiction, or Elon Musk. We’re diving into its overlooked role as an emergency-room anesthetic, and the unexpected psychedelic journeys happening in the back of ambulances. Journalist Reilly Capps uncovers what happens when patients cross into bizarre dreamworlds — and what some doctors are doing differently to help them through it.

“You’ll probably feel like you’re in another dimension,” says Dr. Case Newsom, a Denver emergency physician, who is learning to guide patients through inadvertent ketamine journeys. “And that’s okay.”

This story is a banger. You don’t want to miss it. Upgrade your subscription here to get first dibs on our Friday feature.

DoubleBlind Digs

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HARM REDUX: Don’t let the stigma of drug use render you unprepared. Carry Narcan, save a life, and be a hero. Here’s where you can locate Narcan near you. 

At DoubleBlind, we believe in reciprocity—the idea that everything in the world is interconnected and that we have a responsibility to uplift a psychedelic ecosystem that centers equity, inclusivity, and healing for all. Through our work, we hope to help our community participate in this effort with us.