Ancient and Modern Cannabis Genomes from the Silk Road, China

Archeological and historical records provide clear evidence of human Cannabis use for nearly all its current purposes along the ancient Silk Road, which was established in the 2nd century BC. Here, we report the genomes of seven Cannabis specimens spanning approximately 2,500 years collected near the city of Turpan, China, an important Silk Road city. Three samples are 2,500 years old, predating the establishment of the Silk Road. Two samples, 2,000 and 1,400 years old, date to the post Silk Road period and correspond to active trade in the region, and two are modern herbarium specimens collected in 1989.