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Why was cacao important to Maya?
Cacao figured into pre-modern Maya society as a sacred food, sign of prestige, social centerpiece, and cultural touchstone.
Why did the Aztecs want cacao?
Aztecs adopted the idea that it was a god-given fruit, used cacao beans as a commodity, and followed the tradition of preparing chocolate as a drink. Quetzalcoatl is a Toltec name for a Mesoamerican God who represented a variety of vibrant vivacious things such as health, love, sex, agriculture, and food.
Why was cacao so important?
Cacao had many ritualistic and spiritual meaning to the Aztecs and Mayans. These two cultures believed that the cacao bean were divine and used the for many rituals, such as birth, marriage and death (Smithsonian, 2008). Cacao seeds were so valued by mesoamerican society that was even used as a currency.
How did Mayans use cacao?
The Maya usually consumed their cacao as a hot drink, a steamy broth served in a clay cup. One of the earliest depictions of it used in exchange dates to the mid-7th century.
Nobles and Priests: The only people who could read and write in the ancient Maya world were most of the priests and some of the nobles.
Who is the Aztec god of death?
Mictlantecuhtli
Mictlantecuhtli, Aztec god of the dead, usually portrayed with a skull face. With his wife, Mictecacíhuatl, he ruled Mictlan, the underworld.
Why is the chocolate industry bad?
Using chocolate to satisfy a sweet tooth never gets old. But gobbling up all those candy bars and bonbons is seriously impacting the environment. The commercial chocolate industry is shrinking rainforests, emitting significant levels of carbon dioxide into our atmosphere, and contributing to climate change.
Who is the god of cacao?
Ek Chuaj
Ek Chuaj, also known as Ek Chuah, Ekchuah, God M according to the Schellhas-Zimmermann-Taube classification of codical gods, is a Postclassic Maya merchant deity as well as a patron of cacao.
What was the drink of the gods Mayans?
Mayan Chocolate Drink
The Mayan Chocolate Drink Mayans created the foamy drink called “xocolatl” meaning bitter water. A drink comprised of cacao seeds, chillies, water and cornmeal. It was known as the drink of the gods.
Why was cacao important to the ancient Maya?
Because cacao was considered so valuable in ancient Mexico, the Maya portrayed it as the first among the fruit trees grown from the Maize God’s abandoned body. But as we’ve seen, it certainly wasn’t the only one: the ‘death’ of the Maize God gave life not just to cacao or to maize but to ALL life-giving food plants.
How did the Aztecs come up with the idea of chocolate?
The Aztecs learned about the value of cacao beans from their predecessors, the Maya who began cultivating cacao as early as 600 AD, and the Toltecs who continued it. Aztecs adopted the idea that it was a god-given fruit, used cacao beans as a commodity, and followed the tradition of preparing chocolate as a drink. A GIFT FROM QUETZALCOATL
What did the Olmecs use cacao bean for?
While the Olmecs may have been the first to use cacao for its bean rather than its fruit, for the Mayans it was more than a food, but a delicacy approaching divinity.
What kind of food did the Mayans eat?
Archeological evidence also proves ancient cultures revered cacao. For example, there have been found vessels filled with cacao remains, Mayan vases with cacao image etchings, paintings depicting the Mayans consuming cacao, and statues of gods holding cacao seeds from Mayan and Aztec times.