what did the aztecs use chocolate for?

There were several types of drinks prepared for different occasions as well. Squash seeds, fresh, dried or roasted, were especially popular. Squash (also known as cucurbita) was very popular and came in many different varieties. The Mexica believed that cacao seeds were the gift of Quetzalcoatl, the god of wisdom, and the seeds once had so much value that they were used as a form of currency. It assists in reducing abdominal pain (Morton, 1981, 556-557). The ground chocolate was mixed with water and other ingredients such as maize flour and flowers. Together with beans, vegetables, fruit, chilis and salt nixtamalized corn can form a healthy and diverse diet.[24]. Call us: Before the New Fire ceremony, which occurred every 52 years, some priests fasted for a whole year; the other priests 80 days and lords 8 days. It was marsh land - not ideal for building - but they built nonetheless. Among the most important, chili peppers come in a wide variety of species and cultivars, some domesticated and many of them wild. As performed by the ancient people of Mesoamerica, the beans (seeds) are fermented for anywhere from three to six days, depending on the type of bean. The beverage was a far cry from the . But, their empire was dominant and their passion for the cacao bean was unprecedented. It looks and functions very similarly to a western mortar and pestle. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); For the latest chocolate news, offers, and more, sign up to the Cocoa Runners newsletter. The areas rich pre-Hispanic chocolate-drinking traditions live on! Required fields are marked *. The glyphic writing on the outside of the vessels clearly display the Maya word for cacao along with additional un-deciphered glyphs, possibly eluding to the recipe of the contents, the maker of, or other general information about the contents which were once housed in the vessel (Hall, 1990, 139). Chocolate was in general use among the pre-Columbian Aztec and Maya as both a drink and as currency. Based on where cooking tools are usually found, it seems that kitchens were a simple, single-room structure separate from the house itself. "Cosmic Jaws: We Eat the Gods and the Gods Eat Us." To the ancient lay people of Mesoamerica, it was so much more than a food item. The inhibited growth of certain mycotoxins (toxic fungi) is another benefit of nixtamalization. Carrasco, Davd. Getting intoxicated appeared to have been more tolerated for elderly people; Spanish translations of the Codex Mendoza note that there were specific circumstances that allowed the elderly to get intoxicated: It is shown how, according to the laws and customs of the lose of seventy years of age, man or woman, if such old persons had children or grandchildren. We certainly have Mesoamerican cultures to thank for the gift of chocolate making! Aztec cuisine is the cuisine of the former Aztec Empire and the Nahua peoples of the Valley of Mexico prior to European contact in 1519. History of Chocolate: Cocoa Beans & Xocolatl - HISTORY comm. The Aztecs spoke language called Nahuatl which is known for having very long words. From the resident Maya, the Aztec learned how to produce and prepare chocolate -- and they learned to value it immensely, as well. They were welcomed into the city, and given goblets of the mystical chocolate drink. Chocolate could be prepared in a huge variety of ways and most of them involved mixing hot or tepid water with toasted and ground cacao beans, maize and any number of flavorers such as chili, honey, vanilla and a wide variety of spices. 2000, 2057s). The act of eating another human was deeply connected to the Aztec mythology, in which gods needed to consume the sacrificed flesh and blood of humans to sustain themselves, and the world. They were known as "those who do penance. The increase in sexual appetite, fertility and abetted longevity were other benefits of the chocolate. The Aztecs were amazed by the army of horses, dogs, and weapons. There are multiple important events in Aztec society that called for feasts. 2002, 289). Squash seeds, fresh, dried or roasted, were especially popular. Octli; wine [made from Agave]. Thestory ofchocolatebegins thousands of years B.C. Theobroma, in Latin, means food of the gods, while cacao refers to the native word for the plant (Coe and Coe 1996, 17). Journal of the American Academy of Religion 63 (3): 42963. Some etymologists claim that the Aztecs gave us the word chocolate, with it coming from the Nahuatl word Xocolatl, literally bitter water. There are thousands of these cylindrical vessels in collections, and the vast majority say right on them, This is a vessel for chocolate, (Coe and Coe 1996). Every fourth Izcalli celebration included the introduction of children, born during this four-year period, to the Aztec community. When it comes to ritual use of chocolate, usually, only the male, elite and royals consumed cacao in a liquid form (Rissolo per. Perceived as being an intoxicating food, the chocolate drink was a forbidden food for both women and children in a ritual setting (Dillinger et al. Chocolate truffles Cheryl Carlin When most of us hear the word chocolate, we picture a bar, a box of bonbons, or a bunny. Chocolate is made from the fruit of cacao trees, which are native to Central and South America. It is also known to clean the teeth (Dillinger et al 2000, 2061s); of course modern-day dentists may disagree. Healing and preventative medicines as well as a tool for administering foul-tasting medicines were the two primary medicinal uses for the chocolate. The people believed that these gods were not satisfied until they received an offering of the blood of innocent people. The Maya held a yearly festival to honor the cacao god Ek Chuah, which included several offerings and rituals to him. The seeds germinate quickly and will surely die if not kept moist and cool in the hot air that blankets the South American and Mesoamerican areas. [7], In the late 1970s the anthropologist Michael Harner suggested that the Aztecs had resorted to large-scale, organized cannibalism to make up for a supposed protein deficiency in the diet. It would say: O our Lord, this vassal picked me not up when I lay scattered on the ground. Izcalli was the last month of the calendar. 1995. Cacao tradition was alive and well with the Aztecs. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. A 1545 Nahuatl (Mayan language) document provides a list of the prices of food items; a turkey hen is worth 100 cacao beans, a hare or forest rabbit or is worth 100 cacao beans, a large tomato is one bean and one turkey egg is worth three beans, among other food items (Coe and Coe 1996, 98-99). Chocolate and the Mayans The Mayans consumed chocolate by first harvesting the seeds -- or beans -- from cacao trees. In the Mayan city of Palanque, there is a monumental stepped pyramid known as the temple of inscriptions, which crystallises cocoas fundamental role in Mayan cosmology: in its carvings, the citys queen, Sak Kuk, is depicted reborn as a cacao tree. Over the course of the sixteenth century, chocolate drinking became increasingly common among the colonial elite. 1990, 139). An Aztec woman generates foam by pouring chocolate from one vessel to another in the Codex Tudela Cultivation, consumption, and cultural use of cacao were extensive in Mesoamerica where the cacao tree is native. Unfortunately, whether cacao trees naturally form and prosper or were originally brought into the area and planted in these sinkholes and cenotes, is still under investigation. The idea of a chocolate treat is far from a modern one. The final step is the removal of the outer shell of the bean (winnowing). 10. Roasting the beans for approximately 70-115 minutes at temperatures of around 215 degrees F is vital for the drawing out of the chocolate flavour. Fermentation is a confusing word choice as the cacao is not fermented into an alcohol, although it could be. Who Invented Chocolate? Cocoa was used as a curative by people of all classes to treat digestive ills, infections, fever, or heavy coughs. What was everyday life like for the Aztec people? Cacao trees require year round humidity and plenty of rainfall (2000mm) into well-drained soil in order to grow and propagate (Gomez-Pompa et al. Many became gravely ill, and the lives of many pregnant women were in danger. Ancient Mesoamerican civilization began with the Olmecs who took root in the fertile lands of what we might refer to as south-central Mexico. The old and new religions mixed, spawning such strange hybrids as the Christ of Cocoa in Mexico City. Eating in Aztec culture could take on a sacred meaning, especially as evidenced in ritual cannibalism. These steps are still followed in todays modern chocolate making cultures, regardless of the technologies available to them. Chocolate with vanilla. [21], Maize was the single most important staple of the Aztecs. Medicinal and Ritualistic Uses for Chocolate in Mesoamerica There is doubt as to whether or not the cacao tree is native to Mesoamerica. Water, maize gruels and pulque (iztc octli), the fermented juice of the century plant (maguey in Spanish), were the most common drinks, and there were many different fermented alcoholic beverages made from honey, cacti and various fruits. As such, it was enjoyed by rulers, priests, and noblemen from a tall pitcher. By the early seventeenth century, chocolate truly began to take hold in the New World! "Central Mexico Classic." [12], Most information regarding Aztec cooking tools comes from finding the tools themselves, as depictions of the tools in art are rare, and when they are featured, they aren't particularly prominent or detailed. How did the Aztecs make chocolate? | Homework.Study.com Mexican oregano and Mexican anise likewise produce flavors reminiscent of their Mediterranean counterparts, while allspice has an aroma somewhere in between nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon. There are many, strong ethnographic sources (Thompson 1956) which demonstrate the importance of these two liquids; blood and chocolate among the Aztecs and the late Post-Classic Maya. The Mayans, and later the Aztecs, made a beverage from the beans of the cocoa pods that was used for a popular, everyday drink but also used in rituals and healing practices. In the wild, the trees can grow to a height of over 60 feet; however in a plantation setting it is typical to see them only at a maximum of 20 feet to ease the harvesting labour. Chocolate with chilies. [36], The veintena Tlacaxipehualiztli was one of intense human sacrifice, it was noted by Sahagun that "it was the time when all captives died, all those taken, all those who were made captive, the men, the women, all the children." How Did The Aztec Use Chocolate? The only surviving written evidence from the Classic era Maya, are the extravagantly decorated vessels which joined the elite in their tombs. Nowadays, Mayan communities still grow cocoa check out this article on Maya Mountain, an award-winning community of growers from the Qeqchi and Mopan Maya communities in Guatemala and Belize. A small minority of upper-class citizens enjoyed the frothy drink. The god gave the cocoa to the Toltec people, and taught their women to make drinking chocolate. Cocoa was drunk in religious rituals to commerce, and had roles in military and medical spheres! Additionally, he had thousands of pitchers prepared for the members of his household daily. Aztec use of entheogens - Wikipedia The most important gods in Aztec culture were Huitzilopochtli (god of war and sun) and Tlaloc (god of rain). . 1990, 249). The Mayan creation story tells us that humans were created from a mixture of the divine blood or the gods, and cocoa pods. After the Maya, the Toltecs rose to power and many Mayan ideas resurfaced. Food was an important part of veintena ceremonies; it was both consumed and adorned by priests. Cacao seeds were fermented, roasted, and ground into a paste. It is exceedingly difficult to recognize what the original properties of the wild populations of cacao trees prior to the Spanish contact were. The wedding process also contained many ceremonies, the parents of a young male, when marriage was desired, had to ask permission of his calmecac school leaders. The taste is somewhat bitter, it satisfies and refreshes the body, but does not inebriate, and it is the best and most expensive merchandise, according to the Indians of that country (Benzoni 1575). The Aztec practices of cocoa drinking were inventive, versatile, and significant. Did chocolate die with the Aztecs? Served at these feasts was octli (pulque), chocolate, bird, fruit, seeds, and other foods.[7]. Others have even suggested the word . The dough could be used to encase meat, sometimes even whole turkeys, before cooking. Insects have a higher protein content than meat, and even now they are considered a delicacy in some parts of Mexico. Some records indicate they were given fifty jars. The use of chocolate had many ritualistic, spiritual and political meanings for the ancient peoples of Mesoamerica. One thing they didn't consume . Thus it is said: I take cacao. HeritageDaily is part of the HeritageCom group of brands. Other than ingredients and prepared food every imaginable type of tlli could be bought, either to quench one's thirst or as an instant meal in liquid form. Residue analyses on several vessels from ancient Maya burial sites indicate offerings of chocolate to the deceased (Dillinger 2000, Hurst et al. They developed a powerful army, alliances, and a city-state system that facilitated trade and allowed their ideology to spread through a network of communities. The history of chocolate began in Mesoamerica. They developed a process that we still use today to produce cacao liquor or cacao paste: They removed the beans from the pod (another name for the fruit), fermented them in containers, laid them out to dry, and then ground them.
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