The History of Hashish

Hashish is one of the most ancient forms of cannabis consumption in the world. It’s been at the center of spiritual life, medicinal healing, and ceremonial importance for at least 1,000 years — and it’s still a treasured way to enjoy cannabis. This short guide through hash history offers a new way to appreciate this ages-old concentrate.

What is hashish?

Hash, or hashish, is the earliest form of cannabis concentrate. It’s the trichomes of a cannabis plant, which are full of cannabinoids and terpenes, removed from flower and pressed into forms. It’s sometimes dried and cured after being pressed.

What makes hash unique?

What makes hash unique is its long, storied use throughout human history. Historical references of hashish consumption date back thousands of years across Central Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa.

Its simple production process is noteworthy as well. Hash production doesn’t require cutting-edge equipment or emerging technologies to create. Although science is changing how we experience cannabis, hash production remains relatively unchanged, even though it’s thousands of years old.

The origins of hashish

Ancient beginnings

Hash production and consumption likely began thousands of years before the first recorded mentions of the words “hash” or “hashish,” which appeared around 1,000 years ago in Egypt. Some of the oldest mentions of hash consumption come from North India and Nepal, where cannabis grows wild. Aside from hash production, cannabis plants, in general, are believed to have evolved alongside humans for use in medicine, to make textiles, and much more.

Cannabis began to spread across Asia and the Middle East as human trade expanded along the Silk Road. Some of the earliest recorded mentions of hash come from ancient poems debating whether hash was prohibited or permissible in Islamic law, mentions that date back to the 12th century among Nizari Muslims. In the Muslim world, hashish was eaten as an edible; it’s believed that hash was not inhaled until sometime in the 16th century. In these regions, hash was also called bhang.

From Central Asia to Europe: Hash in modern history

Cannabis and hash made their way to Europe in the late 1700s. Its first German scientific mentions appeared in the late 1700s, while French troops were introduced to hash in Egypt during the Napoleonic wars in the early 1800s.

In Europe, hashish was heavily studied for its medicinal properties at first. It made its way to artists’ circles in Paris in the 19th century, enjoyed by authors like Victor Hugo of Les Miserables fame. Hash never gained the same popularity in the United States as it has enjoyed elsewhere in the world.

Hashish began to fall out of favor in Europe as regulations around cannabis changed during the global Prohibition push during the 20th century. However, there has always been an underground market for hash coming out of the Middle East. Europe continues to be one of the largest markets for hash.

How is hash made?

Traditional methods

From its earliest days, hash balls were made by gathering the resin of the cannabis plant that had collected onto the hands or bodies of people handling the plant. These balls were typically eaten.

Modern methods

When you see hash in a dispensary, it’s not made by hand, but the process is still essentially the same. You’ll generally see bubble hash, which are trichomes collected from cannabis plants that were submerged in ice water and agitated to help the trichomes fall off. The mixture is then strained through a set of sieves or screens to remove the plant matter and shape the trichomes into hash.

Hash may also be made into temple balls, which presses and heats hash until it becomes a sticky, malleable consistency. It’s rolled into balls and cured before being sold.

A less common but more traditional method of hash-making is dry-sift pressed hash, where the plant matter is shaken in a box through a fine mesh screen to separate the trichomes and then pressed.

Why hash is still popular thousands of years later

Versatility

Hash is easy to incorporate into however you like to consume cannabis, with no special tools required. Add a small slice to your bong or to a dry bowl for an extra kick in your next smoking sesh. Gently roll it into a joint or a blunt for extra flavor and high. For true hash fans, a hash pipe provides purity of flavor and the best smoking experience.

Potency and flavor

Hash is the earliest form of cannabis concentrate, and concentrates are always more potent than their flower forms. The potency of concentrates attracts people to them: the efficacy of effects and the intensity of those effects. Hash also has a distinct cannabis aroma and flavor, making it enjoyable for the truly passionate cannabis consumers who can’t get enough of that dank smell.

Cultural legacy

Hash is one of the first ways that humans began enjoying the psychoactive effects of cannabis. When you enjoy hash, you enjoy a connection to societies, peoples, and cultures that came many centuries before you.

Hash products available at The Travel Agency

Hudson Cannabis Hash Full Moon Sativa Blend

Size: 1 gram

Cost: $49

A blend of sativa strains come together to create a delicious and uplifting experience in this Hudson Cannabis hash. Notes of spruce, citrus, and sage meet dank undertones for a classic hash experience that may be uplifting and energizing.

Customer review: “Put it in my joint, and it hit even harder than it would without it. As intended. Broke apart easy, and it honestly didn’t have a taste, but you could feel the high enhance. It was an amazing addition to the joint. 1000/10” – magmind2001

Buy Hudson Cannabis Full Moon Hash at The Travel Agency 

Hudson Cannabis Hash New Moon Indica Blend

Size: 1 gram

Cost: $49

Inhale a soothing blend of indica strains and exhale the stress away with this New Moon Hash from Hudson Cannabis. Notes of berries and pepper greet you as you open the bag, while the tantalizing scent of honey waits for you to spark up and let the day go.

Customer review: “This hash is bubble hash perfect for rolling. High was great, tastes great.” – Gregory

Buy Hudson Cannabis New Moon Hash at The Travel Agency 

Silly Nice Concentrates Frosted Hash Ball

Size: 1 gram

Cost: $50

Crafted in the classic hash ball appearance, this frosted hash ball from Silly Nice Concentrates takes bubble hash to a new level by adding a thin coating of THCA isolate. Add a small slice to a bowl, a joint, or a hash bowl and inhale the delicious flavors of spice, citrus, and herbs for a truly next-level hash experience.

Buy Silly Nice Frosted Hash Ball at The Travel Agency 

Continuing the legacy of hash at The Travel Agency

Hashish stands as testimony to humans’ love of the plant for centuries and likely millennia. If you want to join this piece of cannabis history, The Travel Agency carries several options excellent for adding to a bowl or bong. Check out the menu for the latest on what’s in stock.