The utilization of medicinal and psychoactive plants in the past represents a pivotal intersection of culture, health, and biodiversity. While such plants in Arabia have been known from classical and medieval textual records, this study provides material evidence of the use of one such plant for fumigation already in the Iron Age. Through metabolic profiling of organic residues recovered from archaeological artefacts at the oasis of Qurayyah, Northwest Arabia, we identified the drug plant Peganum harmala. Renowned for its antibacterial, psychoactive and multiple therapeutic properties, its presence highlights the deliberate utilization of local pharmacopeia by ancient communities. This discovery represents not only the first evidence for its use in Iron Age Arabia, but also the most ancient, radiometrically dated material evidence of Peganum harmala being used for fumigation globally. Beyond their health benefits, these plants were also valued for their sensory and affective properties. Documenting, understanding and preserving these ancient knowledge systems enriches our understanding of ancient traditions while safeguarding the region's intangible cultural heritage.

Centre de Recherche et d'Enseignement des Géosciences de l'Environnement Aix Marseille Université CNRS IRD INRAE Aix en Provence France

Climate Change and History Research Initiative Princeton University Princeton USA NJ

Department of Bioarchaeology Faculty of Archaeology University of Warsaw Warsaw Poland

Faculty of Arts Masaryk University Brno Czechia

Heritage Commission Ministry of Culture of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Riyadh Saudi Arabia

Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology Department of Biochemistry Jena Germany

Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology Department of Archaeology Jena Germany

University of Tübingen Institute for Archaeological Sciences Tübingen Germany

University of Vienna Department of Prehistoric and Historical Archaeology Vienna Austria

University of Vienna Human Evolution and Archaeological Sciences Vienna Austria

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