New discoveries about cocoa history

Ancient people in South America may have sipped hot cocoa for centuries before Mexicans began planting the tree around 1900 BC.

New archaeological evidence has revealed that cocoa, the main raw material for making chocolate, was harvested in the upper Amazon and at the foot of the Andes Mountains around 3,400 BC.

Ceramics artifacts discovered next to the carcass of Santa Ana-La Florida (Ecuador) show that people of the ancient time knew how to use cocoa beans for longer than scientists thought, according to a new report. by experts from the University of British Columbia (Canada) in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution.

Co-authoring the report, Professor Michael Blake said that the discovery of cocoa traces inside the sophisticated containers showed that this drink was probably an important part of the ancient party and ritual activities.