Origins of Inebriation Revealed

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http://news.yahoo.com/origins-inebriati ... 24314.html

While that's interesting, I personally doubt only social and religious elites had the right (or rite ) to get stoned. Sure, mind altering substances were doubtlessly used for religious experiences, but I can't believe anyone would seriously infer that only the upper classes could party just because a Celtic chief had been buried with a beer cauldron. No, it just means he had a big cauldron to put his beer in. And Greek and Roman sources repeat how nobles and commoners among European tribal peoples such as the Celts and Germans drank to excess as a pass time.

Consider how people are today, if someone has something cool most everyone wants to try it. I am fairly sure it was the same back then because this is a human tendency.

Secondly, go back far enough to the hunter gatherers, not only the shaman would have known what plants did what and had what affect because much of the tribe did the hunting and gathering not just the shaman, and if they found new plants they experimented (if your hungry enough you will try most anything once). so I am sure much was common knowledge. Its just the shamans specialized in them as a spiritual experience and medicine man.

In many of our recently existing tribes it was common practice for the whole tribe to partake of those exotic drinks and foods and burn in fires things like hemp and dance around it inhaling the smoke.

Thats just my take on it anyways.

I thought the biblical character drank wine because water was contaminated and unsafe so they fermented fruit juice, and of course it would be primarily available to the elites.

The elites could afford the good stuff, but everyone - save for where puritanical law is enacted - can get hold of at least cheap alcohol. Always did, always will.