History is just this froth of artifact production that has appeared in the last ten to fifteen thousand years. It spread across the planet very quickly. But that mind in man just goes back and back into the darkness.

The quote " History is just this froth of artifact production that has appeared in the last ten to fifteen thousand years. It spread across the planet very quickly. But that mind in man just goes back and back into the darkness," by Terence McKenna, suggests that human history, particularly the period of recorded civilization, is just a small and relatively recent part of the larger span of human existence. McKenna is highlighting the rapid development of human culture and the production of artifacts, such as tools, art, and written records, in comparison to the much longer period of time that humans lived without leaving such marks. The phrase "froth of artifact production" implies that this relatively short span of human history is just a surface phenomenon in the broader, deeper story of human evolution and consciousness.

McKenna, a renowned ethnobotanist and philosopher, was deeply interested in the origins of human consciousness and the role of psychedelic substances in shaping the mind. He often explored the idea that modern civilization is a recent development in the long trajectory of human existence, and that much of our mental and spiritual life is connected to an earlier, more primal state. The mention of the "darkness" refers to the unknown period before history was recorded, where human beings lived without the artifacts and structures of civilization, and potentially without the same conscious awareness of their place in the world.

The origin of this quote lies in McKenna's broader philosophy of human evolution, consciousness, and the development of civilization. He believed that human history, especially the rise of modern societies, is just a brief moment in the vast timeline of human existence. His interest in the role of altered states of consciousness—through substances like psychedelics—was tied to the idea that humans have long sought to understand their minds and their relationship with the world around them, a pursuit that existed long before the dawn of recorded history.

Ultimately, McKenna’s quote invites us to reflect on the brevity and the fragility of human history. While artifacts and recorded events offer a glimpse into our civilization's achievements, McKenna encourages us to recognize that human consciousness and experience have a much deeper, more ancient origin, reaching back into the darkness before the advent of history. This perspective challenges us to think beyond the relatively recent rise of human societies and to explore the deeper, unrecorded aspects of human existence.