The story of chocolate begins thousands of years BC, in the region we now know as Southern Mexico and Central America. A tree bearing unusual fruit with vibrant colors produced seeds so valuable that it was considered to be a gift from the gods. It was the cacao tree, known to Aztecs as Xocatl. Aztec people were not the first to discover and cultivate this magical fruit. The credit for that belongs to earlier Mesoamerican civilizations. But, their empire was dominant and their passion for the cacao bean was unprecedented. The value of chocolate as a commodity reached new heights under Aztec Empire. Cacao tradition was alive and well with Aztecs.

Most people will have some familiarity of the Mayans being the first to utilize cacao fruits for chocolate use. But it’s been discovered that an even more ancient people, Olmecs in southern Mexico, also consumed chocolate. In the very beginnings, most chocolate was used in drinks, as a revered bitter beverage instead of the sweet candy bars we know of today. Who first discovered chocolate is still unclear, as even what use the Olmecs had for it is still slightly blurry. There is no written history from Olmecs, so opinions differ on the use of the cacao beans, or if they even used just the pulp from the cacao pods. It is thought that Olmecs used chocolate in their ceremonial drinks, though, and that they undoubtedly passed on this knowledge of the cacao to the Mayans. 

Mayans not only consumed chocolate on a daily basis, but they also revered it. Written history from the Central American Mayans mentions chocolate being used in celebrations and to even complete some important transactions. Chocolate was available to everyone in Mayan culture, no matter status or wealth. Many Mayans would enjoy a chocolate drink with every meal, with the chocolate being frothy and thick, and often combined with chili peppers, honey or water. In Aztec culture, cacao beans were considered more valuable than gold, believing that the cacao was given to them by the gods. Aztecs enjoyed the chocolate in hot or cold drinks, but was usually reserved for an upper-class extravagance. Some lower classes would drink it during bigger celebrations, such as weddings. The Aztecs would use cacao beans as currency too, using it to buy food and other goods. 

Although it’s agreed that chocolate first arrived in Spain, it’s hard to determine when it arrived in Europe. There are tales that Christopher Columbus found cacao beans on a trade ship and brought them back to Spain in 1502, while another account says Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes was introduced to chocolate by Aztecs. Regardless of the back story, chocolate was a much loved indulgence by the late 1500s, and Spain started to import chocolate in 1585. Other European countries started visiting Central America and saw the cacao beans, bringing them back to their countries for consumption. But most Europeans didn’t care for the more bitter and spicy flavors of Central American chocolate, and started to make their own combinations using cinnamon, cane sugar, and other spices and flavorings to create their own hot chocolate. With this higher demand of chocolate came chocolate plantations, which were worked by thousands of slaves. 

Chocolate first arrived in Florida on a Spanish ship in 1641, and it’s thought the first American chocolate house opened in Boston in 1682. By the late 1770s, cacao beans were a major import into American colonies, and were enjoyed by every class. There have been so many different variations to chocolate over the years that it hardly resembles it’s humble ancient beginnings. But chocolate is one staple that will remain for years to come.

#archaeohistories

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