This beautiful glass bottle is a rare example of medicinal cannabis packaging for use in Central America. It originally contained a tincture of cannabis, a common remedy in the 19th century.

The bottle dates from c. 1871 – 1890. It is decorated with the Guatemalan coat of arms. This particular design was introduced in 1871, which allows us to date the bottle more easily. The fact that it is made from blue (rather than clear) glass, as well as the gold leaf used for the hand-painted label, indicates that it contained a high-quality tincture. Clear glass was cheaper but caused the product to degrade more quickly.