Cocoa And The Maya Civilisation

t was the Maya Indians, an ancient people whose descendants still live in Central America, who first discovered the delights of cocoa as long ago as 600 AD.

he Yucatan Peninsula, a tropical area in what is now Southern Mexico, where wild cocoa trees grew, was where the Maya lived. They harvested cocoa beans from the rain forest trees, then cleared areas of lowland forest to grow their own cocoa trees in the first known cocoa plantations.

drink called 'chocolatl' made from roasted cocoa beans, water and a little spice, was their most important use but cocoa beans were also valued as a currency.

ecause cocoa beans were valuable, they were given as gifts at ceremonies such as a child's coming of age and at religious ceremonies. The Maya had very many complicated religious beliefs with many gods. Ek Chuah, the merchant god, was closely linked with cocoa and cocoa fruits were used at festivals in honour of this god. Merchants often traded cocoa beans for other commodities , cloth, jade and ceremonial feathers.

aya farmers transported their cocoa beans to market by canoe or in large baskets strapped to their backs. Wealthy merchants travelled further employing porters to carry their wares as there were no horses, pack animals or wheeled carts in Central America at that time. Some ventured as far as Mexico the land of the Aztecs, so introducing them to the much prized cocoa beans.