Anadenanthera: Visionary Plant of Ancient South America

ISBN-13: 9780789026422 / Angielski / Miękka / 2006 / 340 str.

Constantino Manuel Torres

Opis

A multidisciplinary study of pre-Columbian South America-centering on the psychoactive plant genus Anadenanthera As cultures formed and evolved in pre-Columbian South America, Anadenanthera became one of the most widely used shamanic inebriants. Anadenanthera: Visionary Plant of Ancient South America is more than a comprehensive reference on shamanic visionary substances; it is a useful tool for archeologists and pre-Columbian art historians. This thorough book examines the ritual and cultural use of Anadenanthera from prehistory to the present, along with its botany, chemistry, pharmacology, anthropology, and archeology. The earliest evidence for the use of psychoactive plants in South America is provided by remains of seeds and pods recovered from archeological sites four millennia old. Various preparations were derived from it with the intent of being a shamanic inebriant. Inhaled through the nose, smoked in pipes or as cigars, and prepared in fermented drinks, Anadenanthera served a central role in the cultural development of indigenous societies in South America. Anadenanthera: Visionary Plant of Ancient South America explores the full spectrum of information gleaned from research, covering numerous archeological sites in the Andean region, as well as discussing Amazonian shamanic rituals and lore. Analyses of the artistic expressions within the decorations of associated ceremonial paraphernalia such as ritual snuffing tubes and snuff trays are included. The text is richly illustrated with photographs and images of decorated ritual implements, and provides a comprehensive bibliography.

Spis treści

• Foreword (Alexander T. Shulgin)
  
• Preface
  
• Acknowledgments
  
• Chapter 1. The Botany of Anadenanthera
  
• Taxonomic Background
  
• Species Descriptions
  
• Appendix: Synonyms and Indigenous Names
  
• Chapter 2. Archaeological Evidence for Anadenanthera Preparations
  
• The Taíno
  
• The Central Andes
  
• The Northern Andes
  
• Appendix: Archaeological Evidence for Anadenanthera Use
  
• Chapter 3. Anadenanthera in Non-Andean South America
  
• The Orinoco Basin
  
• The Amazon Basin
  
• The Southern Amazon Basin Periphery
  
• Appendix: Indigenous Use of Anadenanthera in the Orinoco-Amazon Basin and Its Southern Periphery
  
• Chapter 4. The Chemistry of the Genus Anadenanthera
  
• Chemical Makeup and Commercial Uses of Anadenanthera
  
• Biosynthesis of the Anadenanthera Alkaloids
  
• Biochemical Systematics of Anadenanthera
  
• Appendix: Species of Piptadenia from South America Studied for the Presence of Alkaloids
  
• Chapter 5. The Pharmacology of Bufotenine
  
• Whole Animal Research
  
• Basic Pharmacology
  
• Human Studies
  
• Appendix: Chemical Structures of Anadenanthera-Based Drugs
  
• Chapter 6. Summary and Conclusions
  
• Bibliography
  
• Index
  
• Reference Notes Included
  

O autorze

Constantino M Torres, David B Repke