Ne are in 1992, at the Egyptian Museum in Munich. Svetla Balabanova, toxicologist and medical examiner, examines the mummy of Henoubtaoui, a priestess of the XXIst dynasty (1085-950 BC). With amazement, she finds that the examination reveals traces of nicotine and cocaine. However, these two substances will only be known in the Old World after the expedition of Christopher Columbus, more than 2500 years later! Their presence in an Egyptian mummy is therefore totally impossible.
In order to be clear, she redid a series of analyzes that, against all odds, confirm the first: it is nicotine and cocaine. Persuaded that this is a manipulation error, Svetla Balabanova sends samples to other laboratories. The new analyzes corroborate his. This time, doubt is no longer possible: Henubtaoui's mummy conceals traces of two substances that will not appear in Egypt until twenty-five centuries later, at least! In order to share her surprising discovery, Svetla Balabanova publishes an article, which immediately revives the controversy. The reaction is not long in coming. She receives a lot of threatening letters, even insults. He is accused of falsifying the tests. For archaeologists and historians, travel to America before Columbus is a complete impossibility.
New tests confirm the presence of nicotine and cocaine Svetla Balabanova is considering another possibility. Perhaps the mummy has undergone external contamination. Cautious, the toxicologist performs a new type of examination. She worked for the police as a medical examiner. An infallible method can be used to determine if a deceased has actually taken drugs. All that is needed is to analyze the gangue of the hair. It retains the traces of the corresponding molecules for months, or indefinitely in the event of death. This process, which has already confounded criminals, is recognized by the courts. Once again, the incredible result is obvious: Henubtaoui's hair gangue contains nicotine and cocaine. The hypothesis of external contamination does not hold.
In 1976, the mummy of Ramses II is brought back to Paris by Mrs. Christiane Desroches Noblecourt, Egyptologist of great reputation. This mummy is received with the honors of a head of state. But she is in France to undergo a restoration, because of her bad state. Samples are then taken. Dr. Michelle Lescot of the Natural History Museum in Paris iseven research ... and notes the presence of crystals characteristic of tobacco. However, Ramses II died in 1213 BC This presence is therefore a priori impossible. The case arouses strong emotion in archaeological and historical circles. We shout scandal, deception. It will not follow: the hypothesis of a link between America and the Mediterranean in Antiquity is, from the point of view of historians, an aberration. This must be an error, and the "scandal" is hushed up.
However, in her book RAMSES II, the True Story, published in 1996 at Pygmalion, Christiane Desroches Noblecourt writes: "At the moment of her mummification, her torso had been filled with many disinfectant products: the embalmers had used a fine" hash "of Nicotiana L. leaf, found against the inner walls of the thorax, next to nicotine deposits, certainly contemporaneous with mummification, but problematic, as this plant was still unknown in Egypt, apparentlyt-he. "(RAMSES II, the True Story, page 50).
However, in her book RAMSES II, the True Story, published in 1996 at Pygmalion, Christiane Desroches Noblecourt writes: "At the moment of her mummification, her torso had been filled with many disinfectant products: the embalmers had used a fine" hash "of Nicotiana L. leaf, found against the inner walls of the thorax, next to nicotine deposits, certainly contemporaneous with mummification, but problematic, as this plant was still unknown in Egypt, apparently
Where did the tobacco of the Egyptians come from?
Egyptian tobacco, for what use? Svetla Balabanova continues her research, and makes a surprising finding: the amount of nicotine found in the gangue of hair proves a huge consumption, which normally should have caused the death of the consumer. Unless that consumer is already dead. It then emits another hypothesis: tobacco entered the process of mummification.
This one was always kept secret by the priests, and one still does not know the details of this operation, and especially which substances were used. But this discovery speaks in favor of a tobacco use in Egypt well before JC Where did the tobacco of the Egyptians come from? It is known that Egyptians used drugs such as mandrake, hemp, opium, and hashish, mainly for their medicinal value. There may well have existed in antiquity a plant, close to tobacco, which caused the same effects and disappeared because of too much consumption. It is likely that this tobacco came from elsewhere. But where?
This plant is native to South America. But there are also varieties in Oceania and Polynesia. Was this tobacco coming to Egypt after following the trade routes of the Far East, India, Persia, and Mesopotamia? This would imply that at the time there already existed trade links with these distant lands. This hypothesis is corroborated by the fact that silk threads were found in an Egyptian mummy from Luxor.
This silk could only come from China. And cocaine? If the enigma of tobacco can find a beginning of answer with the hypothesis of a missing plant or an import by the East, these two explanations can not apply to the cocaine. There are plants close to coca in Africa, but none of them contain drugs. For botanists, the presence of a plant close to American coca in Africa, in ancient times, is a heresy. So, did there exist, at the time, relations between the Mediterranean and the Americas? On the coasts of Brazil, jars from a Roman galley have been discovered.
Coincidences?
The Amerindian sites, including the tombs, have revealed surprising coincidences. Thus, in La Venta and San Lorenzo, the two main Olmec cities, dated respectively from the 9th century and 12th century BC, are giant heads whose features are clearly Negroid. So, did Africans know America at that time? On both sides of the Atlantic, it was customary to place figurines in the sarcophagi. The Egyptian shaouabti were supposed to perform chores in the place of the dead. On the other hand, we do not know the function of the Amerindian figurines. Another coincidence: the Phoenicians, like the Amerindians, slipped coins or jade beads, so that the deceased could pay his way to the kingdom of the dead.
The three races represented on a vase in Campeche, in the Mayan country, a vase extracted from a tomb presents three categories of characters. Some have copper skin, others white skin, and finally others black skin. How could Native Americans have imagined these three skin colors without having met men with these characteristics?
The existence of transatlantic relations in Antiquity would provide the answer to many enigmas, and desires that serious research be conducted in this direction. She accuses many archaeologists of adopting a fleeting attitude to the subject. It goes even further, claiming that there was also commercial traffic across the Pacific. The proof is brought by the sweet potato, native of America, found in China. Same thing for peanuts.
Martin Bernal, a historian at Cornwell University, also considers that the hypothesis of transatlantic crossings well before Columbus is quite likely. For him, progress is not necessarily linear, as many historians claim.
Martin Bernal, a historian at Cornwell University, also considers that the hypothesis of transatlantic crossings well before Columbus is quite likely. For him, progress is not necessarily linear, as many historians claim.