Tailor Made Holidays in Honduras: In the News

Chocolate drink was key part of ancient society: 23-11-2007

New evidence has revealed that cacao pods were used by Mesoamericans to make a chocolate drink about 500 years before previous reports had believed.

The pods are often grown in the bucolic Ul ua Valley in northern Honduras on a tree known as the Theobrama cacao, or 'food of the gods'.

Archaeologists have discovered that the valley's inhabitants knew about the culinary properties of the pod since at least 1100 BC.

Analysis of pottery from the pre-Olmerc village of Puerto Escondido has found that the pod existed and means that evidence of chocolate now dates back even further.

The society incorporated Aztec rituals into their lives that included a chocolate drink that was made from the pods.

Cornell University archaeologist, John Henderson has worked in the area for 25 years and believes that the product played an important role in the society.

Speaking to archaeology.org, Mr Henderson said: "We found sherds that belonged to shallow bowls with thin walls, and small beak-like bottles that clearly held liquids. We thought we had a good circumstantial case for these ceramics to be elite cacao serving vessels. But with no visible residue, we didn't think there was any way to prove it."

But items were sent to Patrick McGovern, an archaeochemist, who found traces of chocolate on the inside of the ceramic items.


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