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Pre-Recorded (Human) History
ANSWER ----- YES
Although, by definition, no one was writing anything down (it's called pre-recorded history for a reason), and thus exact details are sketchy and much is speculation.
However, there is agreement by the vast majority of experts, in their respected fields, that the earliest known surviving Afro-Eurasian medical texts, whether ancient Egyptian papyrus scrolls, Mesopotamian clay tablets, Chinese tables etc. All of them speak of its use in the past tense, as if Cannabis had already been in medical use long before finding its way onto the written form. And some of these texts (at least the Sumerians ones) go back some 5000 years or more. Additionally, it should be noted that NOT one ancient text (anywhere) has been found that makes any reference to the recent discovery of Cannabis or of its medical properties[1].
Thus it is with some safety that one can state that YES, medical cannabis was well in use before recorded history.
Try as we could, we were not able to obtain permission to reproduce any actual copies of pre-historic Cave art. But present-day reproductions serve the same purpose. Note the almost spiritual symbolism of the art itself.
At a time when no one had the ability to read and write, they are the closes thing we have to written history. One can only wonder what would happen if one day a cave drawing showing the use of medical Cannabis were found.
Our thanks to the Endlotane galleries [http:www.endlotane.net] [An art gallery that specializes in Swaziland Cave Art reproductions] for allowing us permission to use their drawings.
Footnotes:
[1] Actually this statement is not entirely accurate, the Greeks and Romans were experimenting with new uses for it, but even in their time, it was already well known for its medical properties. Also see the section on Indian Medicine.
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