Give Now  »

Noon Edition

Ancient Goodies 

cocoa powder

Archaeological evidence suggests that even in ancient societies, people were already drinking cocoa.

For many years the oldest known cocoa pot was the one found in a Mayan tomb in Guatemala. It dated from the fifth century, and archaeologists were able to find trace residues of chocolate inside.

A discovery in Belize has unearthed a cocoa pot dated at somewhere between 600 BC and 250 AD. This same shape of pot has been found as far back as 900 BC, so it's possible that even back then people were drinking cocoa.

Why would a cocoa pot be left in a tomb? Chocolate is just candy to us, but there was a time when it was thought to be a food fit for kings. A thousand or two thousand years ago, having a cup of cocoa may even have been seen as a sacred event.

Read More:

"The Original Cocoa Treat" (Science News)

 

Support For Indiana Public Media Comes From

About A Moment of Science