Sometimes you can learn some of the most interesting things from readers. Thanks to Mendeleyev Journal subscriber Raisa Tarasova, herself an interesting blogger, for alerting readers to the fact that cannabis was woven into the fabric of the famous Fountain of International Friendship at the All Russia Exhibition Centre (VDNKh) in Moscow.
First built in the 1930s and later reborn in the 1950s, the park encompasses an exhibition area over 2,375,000 square metres to various agriculture, science, industry, cultural and historical exhibitions. You can imagine our surprise when Ms. Tarasova pointed out that cannabis is part of the large and popular Fountain of Friendship exhibit. Since the park’s original purpose was to promote Russian agriculture it makes perfect sense.
Take a look for yourself.
(photo: Alex Zeneko)
Take a closer look as there it is between sheaves of wheat and grain:
(photo: Natalia Gerasimova)
Raisa says that, “Historically, in Russia cannabis was one of the most cultivated cereal grains, its fiber was used for hemp and textile manufacturing; status of cannabis was as high as of wheat and sunflower. In fact, you can see cannabis leaves right between wheat sheaves on the fountain of the International Friendship in Moscow.”
Thanks to Ms. Tarasova our next visit to the All-Russia Exhibit will be even more insightful in understanding the fountain’s history.
