What is the medicinal plant that was burned in domestic rituals 2,700 years ago, according to a group of scientists?

An international team of researchers has found direct evidence of a medicinal plant 's use in everyday contexts nearly three millennia ago. The discovery took place in the ancient oasis city of Qurayyah , in northwestern Saudi Arabia, where traces of chemical compounds were found in clay incense burners used in communal dwellings . This city, which flourished during the Iron Age , thus reveals an intimate and little-known facet of past health practices.

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The study, led by the Max Planck Institute for Geoanthropology, identified traces of Peganum harmala , a local plant known for its medicinal and spiritual properties , in these vessels. Surprisingly, this evidence does not come from temples or necropolises , but from kitchens, courtyards , and cellars. This suggests that its use was integrated into daily life , possibly as part of domestic rituals related to health or the protection of the home.

Until now, it was known that harmal had been used in later cultures, but there was no evidence of such ancient origins or links to domestic spaces . This discovery constitutes the first chemical confirmation of its combustion in the ancient world, opening up new perspectives on the role of plants in the daily life of those societies. It was not just a symbolic use : its therapeutic effects were possibly regularly exploited by local communities.

Today, harmal is still present in traditions throughout the Islamic world , where it is used as a natural remedy or in spiritual cleansing practices. Its smoke, which once permeated entire homes , has antimicrobial and soothing properties. This continued use of Peganum harmala over the centuries reinforces the importance of orally transmitted knowledge and shows how certain natural remedies have survived beyond their original context.