Chocolate

The Food of the Gods

• “ …they make of ground maize and cacao a kind of foamy drink which is very savory and with which they celebrate feasts…mixed with Indian pepper (allspice)…very refreshing…”

Bishop Landa ca.1530

From Classic era vase. Hero twin head grows from Cacao tree.

1501

• Columbus sights a large Mayan merchant canoe during his fourth voyage. The cargo was mostly cacao.

Theobroma cacao

• Word has origin in Mixe-Zoquean language roots.

• Probable original pronunciation: Ka-kawa

• Root word from about 1000 BC

• Origins among the Olmec

• Name of the Mayan god of cacao has not yet been deciphered.

• According to the text of the Dresden Codex, cacao is to be offered to the rain god during ceremonies.

• Madrid Codex shows long-distance merchants carrying cacao plants.

• Close symbolic association between chocolate and blood in Mayan literature.

Mythology

• Maya and Aztec each had creation stories centered on hero twins involving cacao as an offering.

• At Teotihuacan there is a depiction of a twin hunting quetzal birds in a cacao tree ca. AD 500

• According to Mayanist Michael Coe, conflict in the Guatemalan Highlands between cities was often for control of the most productive cacao orchards.

Storage jars in shape of cacao pods

Woman with cacao pods and beans in pot. The figure herself is covered in cacao beans.

Dried cacao beans.

Figurine of woman grinding cacao beans.

Ingredients for Mayan chocolate drink.

Cacao mixing vessel. Cacao Merchant

Vessels showing cacao in use.

Elite enjoying a cacao drink.

Cacao pitcher.

Aztec• To the Aztec, cacao was a currency. Strict

laws forbid its use among lower classes--reserved for kings, nobles, priests, warriors and merchants of select clans. But octli was forbidden.

• Counterfeiting cacao was a crime punished by death.

Aztec Codex Mendoza

• Page depicting tribute received from vassal tribes indicates in one instance 40 jaguar skins and 200 loads of cacao beans.

• Cacao is a regular feature of tribute demands.

Summary

• Cocoa probably has its origins among the Olmec 1000 BC

• Maya and Aztec myths associated with chocolate have parallels with Olmec symbolism

• Highly valued commodity generally reserved for the elite in society.

• Chocolate brought to Europe by Cortez; used mainly in monasteries until 1700’s.