The Lost City, Hallucinogens, & Shamans
The Plants of the Gods Podcast, hosted by renowned ethnobotanist and ACT President and Co-Founder Dr. Mark Plotkin, is back June 4 for its seventh season!
The first episode delves into the enduring allure of lost cities—a captivating blend of mystery, adventure, and the promise of forgotten knowledge. Mark recounts his journey as part of an expedition in search of the legendary “Lost City of the Monkey God,” highlighting how hallucinogens and shamanic practices have helped illuminate the meaning behind ancient artwork and the cultures that created them.
The Lost City of The Monkey God Film
In 2014, Mark received a message from a colleague that there were two filmmakers, Steve Elkins and Bill Benenson, interested in speaking with him. They claimed to have located the ruins of a lost city or civilization in Honduras, and invited Mark to join them in the search. LiDAR, a remote sensing technology had revealed rectangular structures that appeared to be made by humans below the dense forest canopy. Mark joined a team of researchers who traveled to the site, and their experience was captured in the documentary film The Lost City of the Monkey God.
The account of the expedition also became a best-selling book
The account of the expedition also became a best-selling book by journalist Douglas Preston. It also features tales of previous archeological expeditions to the lost city dating back to the 1920s.
About Plants of the Gods Season 7
With nearly four decades of experience studying the healing plants and shamans of the Amazon rainforest, Dr. Plotkin offers listeners a deep dive into the world of psychoactive plants and fungi, exploring their historical, cultural, and medicinal significance. This season, the podcast explores new and powerful plants from spices to kratom, and unwinds the tangled roots of colonization and capitalism. You can listen here or where ever you get your podcasts.
