Ayahuasca, also known as yage, is a blend of two plants – the ayahuasca vine (Banisteriopsis caapi) and a shrub called chacruna (Psychotria viridis), which contains the hallucinogenic drug dimethyltryptamine (DMT). Indigenous people across South America have been using Ayahuasca for thousands of years, mostly for religious or spiritual purposes. It is considered a medicine, a way to heal yourself  and reconnect with nature. In 2008, Peru’s government recognised ayahuasca’s status, stating that it was “one of the basic pillars of the identity of the Amazon peoples”. Peru’s government also claimed that consumption of the “teacher” or “wisdom” plant “constitutes … Continue reading Ayahuasca

The Elgin Marbles, also known as the Parthenon Marbles, but possibly rightly called the Parthenon Frieze, are a collection of Classical Greek marble sculptures, which were part of the temple of Parthenon and other buildings on the Acropolis of Athens. In 1687 the temple, which had stood for about 2,000 years, was largely destroyed during a war between Venice and the Ottoman Empire, which was then occupying Greece. Originally made by architect and sculptor Phidias and his assistants, the Parthenon is considered as one of the most important European icons from the ancient world. The Elgin Marbles collection consists of … Continue reading The Elgin Marbles