The Long Trip : The Prehistory of Psychedelia Book

Most people assume that human usage of hallucinogens began during the psychedelic revolution in the 1960s. Devereux puts forth a satisfying effort to demonstrate the long span of time that these substances have occupied a part in humanity. Psychedelics have been used in every part of the world for ritual and spiritual purposes for millennia. Our modern society is unique in its refusal to integrate these experiences into our own life and traditions. In The Long Trip: A Prehistory of Psychedelia Devereux provides evidence for the usage of hallucinogens in various prehistoric cultures.

The book begins with a glossary of terms that are common in psychedelia. The set of terms is “archaeology, ecstasy, ethnology, hallucinogen, prehistory, psychedelic and shaman.” I knew these terms and their meanings, but it was a great inclusion to the book’s introduction. Once the reader is prepared to understand the rest of the book, Devereux dives into the evidence of hallucinogens in Stone Age Europe, the Old World, the New World and an extremely in-depth analysis of psychedelic art found in caves.

I found a lot to be learned in this book, although it wasn’t necessarily an easy read. I wouldn’t really suggest reading it unless you are interested in the history of psychedelia, but for those of us that are interested, it is one of the best books I have ever read on the subject.

I really enjoyed the following excerpt from the book’s epilogue:

The human body is an open system, taking in material from the environment and expelling matter into it all the time, and we really shouldn’t think of taking chemicals for visionary and mind-expanding functioning as any different, any less natural, than taking in gases from the air for their chemical benefits to the body, or chemicals and compounds in animal and vegetable matter to provide food, or fermented fruits and vegetable matter to provide delicious, refreshing or inebriating beverages, or vitamins to augment healthy functioning, or medicines when we are ill, or caffeinated teas and coffees when we want to be energised.