Amanita Muscaria History and Folklore – Part 1

If you’re in the mood for a history lesson, I have a treat for you! Today, I’ll be talking about the history of Amanita muscaria, or fly agaric, an iconic mushroom that’s taken a real hold in the mainstream. As you’re probably aware, it’s VERY different from so-called “magic” mushrooms and is widely available throughout the United States.

You’re probably less aware of its incredible history, which spans millennia. Indeed, the topic is so vast that I’ve had to divide it into two separate blog posts. Today, we focus on the origins of amanita usage from Siberia to India.

It All Began in Siberia

Written historical records only go back approximately 5,000 years. Therefore, it is difficult to pinpoint the exact moment in time when humans first began using Amanita muscaria. However, based on findings from phylogenetic analysis, the mushroom’s evolutionary origins began in Beringia, a landform that once connected Asia and North America.

When the Bering Strait formed, it isolated Alaska’s Seward Peninsula from Russia’s Chukchi Peninsula, dividing the ancestral population of Amanita muscaria. Despite this fragmentation, the mushroom species flourished, and today, it’s prevalent on every continent except Antarctica.

Gordon Wasson, a renowned American ethnomycologist, noted that the documented records of fly agaric date back to the 1600s. Yet, he firmly believed that its undocumented history long predated this.

It’s widely accepted that Amanita muscaria was used by Siberian, Russian, and Scandinavian tribes, as well as other Eastern European communities. Some theories even propose Amanita muscaria was used during pre-Christian times.

How the Siberians Used Amanita Muscaria

In Eastern Siberia, Amanita muscaria played a significant role in both recreational activities and sacred ceremonies.

It was common practice for people to ingest the urine of shamans who had consumed amanita because it retained the mushroom’s main compounds, primarily muscimol and ibotenic acid. By consuming the “refined” version in the urine, individuals avoided many of the mushroom’s undesirable side effects. However, the direct effects on the shamans, being the sole consumers of the mushroom, were a different story altogether.

In regions where fly agaric was scarce, it became a valuable commodity. The Koryak people, indigenous to the Kamchatka Peninsula, even used it as a form of currency, trading it for reindeer.

A Koryak man from the mid-1800s once remarked how, after consuming the mushroom, he felt energized, claiming he could outwork three men from dawn to dusk. In a similar vein, a Chukchi woman belonging to another Siberian tribe observed that consuming fly agaric significantly sped up the process of tanning reindeer hides.

There is a prevailing belief that the use of Amanita muscaria originated among the Siberian tribes. However, some evidence suggests otherwise. Indeed, the incorporation of this mushroom in Siberian shamanistic practices may date back to as early as 6000 to 4000 BCE.

Intriguingly, there’s evidence hinting at its use by prehistoric communities in Northern Europe. A relic bowl discovered in Gotaland, Sweden, which dates back to the late Stone Age, was found with traces of fly agaric, suggesting its use up to 6,000 years ago.

Siberian Amanita Muscaria Folklore

The Koryak people continue to inhabit the Kamchatka Peninsula in Eastern Siberia. According to their cultural folklore, Amanita muscaria is a “divine offering” from an entity known as Big Raven. This figure is revered as the inaugural shaman and the progenitor of humankind.

Legend has it that Big Raven unearthed the mushroom’s potent properties in a bid to move a whale he had captured. Desiring to return the mammoth creature to the ocean but finding it too burdensome, he sought assistance from Vahiyinin, the embodiment of Existence. Responding to the plea, Vahiyinin spat upon the earth, giving birth to the mushroom termed wapaq. The distinct white plaques on Amanita muscaria are said to be symbolic of this divine expectoration.

Upon consuming the mushroom, Big Raven was bestowed with the might to hurl the whale back into the waters. Recognizing its significance, he enlightened his community about the fly agaric’s potential for guidance. Consequently, this mushroom cemented its place in Koryak lore for centuries.

However, with the advent of regular alcohol consumption in the 1500s or 1600s, it began to overshadow Amanita muscaria, although never genuinely supplanting it, thanks to the mushroom’s revered status among the Koryak.

Amanita Muscaria and the Ancient Aryans of India

In the annals of ancient India, a drink named soma was prevalent among the Aryan community. The Aryans, an Indo-European group, established dominance over the Indus Valley approximately 3,500 years ago.

Gordon Wasson postulated that soma could potentially be Amanita muscaria. Intriguingly, within Aryan mythology, a deity named Soma was also associated with a plant bearing similar properties.

A challenge in unraveling Aryan cultural nuances is the scant physical evidence available. Our primary source of understanding is derived from an ancient set of scriptures called the Vedas, which, given their ambiguous nature, are susceptible to varied interpretations.

The Rigveda, the most ancient manuscript among the Vedas, encompasses over 1,000 hymns. It details a ritual wherein priests, during their spiritual ceremonies, would blend soma with water and crush it using stones. Upon this base, additional water, barley, or honey was added. This concoction was then consumed by the priests.

Why Wasson Believed Amanita Muscaria was Soma

Wasson posited that soma, as referenced in Aryan hymns, could be Amanita muscaria. His reasoning stemmed from the hymns’ conspicuous omission of references to blossoms, roots, or seeds when describing soma. He highlighted the unique nature of a plant devoid of such characteristics.

Additionally, the hymns indicate that soma thrives in mountainous regions, a habitat consistent with that of Amanita muscaria. Nonetheless, Wasson’s theory remains speculative and based on conjecture.

Per Wasson’s interpretation of the Vedas, three distinct filtration processes were used in soma’s preparation:

• Exposure to sunlight for drying
• Utilizing wool to sift out solid residues from the liquid
• The human body

The rationale behind the first filter aligns with the knowledge that sun-drying the mushroom facilitates decarboxylation. This process transforms ibotenic acid into muscimol, mitigating many of the unwanted effects inherent to raw Amanita muscaria.

The second filter not only assists in extracting fiber and pulp but also suggests another heat-mediated transformation, potentially alluding to brewing Amanita tea. Anecdotal accounts suggest that making tea from this mushroom can reduce side effects.

Rebuttals Against Amanita Muscaria Being Soma

Wasson’s concept of the third filter has stirred considerable debate. He theorized that once soma was consumed and subsequently excreted as urine, the beverage’s adverse effects were reduced while the more desirable effects were amplified.

The body’s metabolism transforms the ibotenic acid present in soma into muscimol. As a result, when one drinks a concoction containing the mushroom, the resultant urine retains numerous unmetabolized compounds, which, when ingested, lead to a stronger effect.

This theory offers a perspective on the historical accounts of individuals consuming the urine of shamans and Siberian tribespeople drinking the urine of reindeer that had feasted on Amanita muscaria.

Yet, in the detailed volume “Fly Agaric: A Compendium of History, Pharmacology, Mythology, and Exploration,” Kevin Feeney, collaborating with a team of researchers, argues that the Vedas’ evidentiary basis might be too tenuous to support Wasson’s claim conclusively.

Coming Soon: Part 2

If you enjoyed this post, you’ll love the next edition! In part 2, I discuss the use of Amanita muscaria in folklore. Stay tuned to discover the myths and legends of this remarkable mushroom.