A recent excavation in the Mississippi Valley has revealed perfectly preserved tobacco bundles wrapped in copper threading. These bundles, found within a ceremonial fire pit at a platform mound site, date back approximately 1,500 years and are believed to be central to the "Smoke-Rising" solstice festivals of the Middle Mississippian culture.
The ritual use of tobacco was a way to facilitate communication with the upper world, and the copper wrapping suggests these were elite offerings. Analysis of the surrounding charcoal indicates that the fires were maintained for precisely three days during the winter solstice, creating a visible pillar of smoke that served as a beacon for surrounding communities to gather for communal feasts and renewal rites.