HISTORY OF COCOA by Andro Pleskalt and Igor Marin

Cocoa tree Chocolate comes from the cocoa tree, which is also known as Theobroma Cocoa. Cocoa trees live in tropical forests. O ther, taller trees shelter them from wind and sun. These trees grow up to 60 feet.

The Olmecs The Olmecs are famous for carving huge stone heads. They were the first people that processed and ate cocoa beans. They called it kakaw. Just like other ancient cultures, the Olmecs drank cocoa. Cocoa found in a small bowl from 1800 BC from Mexico is the earliest evidence of cocoa use known today.

The Mayans The Mayans loved cocoa. They called it “the food of the gods,” painted people drinking cacao, hired artists to decorate cups, placed those cups in tombs and even used the cocoa beans in human sacrifice. They also grew cacao trees in their household gardens.

The Aztecs The Aztec royals continued the tradition of drinking cocoa at various religious ceremonies, but they could not grow it in the capital of their empire at Tenochtitlán, in central Mexico. They had to buy it from their southern neighbors eg the Mayans and others.

THE AZTECS, OLMECS AND MAYANS