Chocolate: Pathway to the Gods
Chocolate: Pathway to the Gods
Although it didn’t receive its Western scientific name, Theobroma cacaofood of the gods”until the eighteenth century, the cacao tree has been at the center of Mesoamerican mythology for thousands of years. Not only did this chocolate tree” produce the actual seeds from which chocolate was extracted but it was also symbolically endowed with cosmic powers that enabled a dialogue between humans and their gods. From the pre-Columbian images included in this sumptuous book, we are able to see for ourselves the importance of chocolate to the Maya, Aztecs, Olmecs, Mixtecs, and Zapotecs who grew, produced, traded, and fought over the prized substance.
Through archaeological and other ethnohistoric research, the authors of this fascinating book document the significance of chocolateto gods, kings, and everyday peopleover several millennia. The illustrations allow us to envision the many ancient uses of this magical elixir: in divination ceremonies, in human sacrifices, and even in ball games. And as mythological connections between cacao trees, primordial rainforests, and biodiversity are unveiled, our own quest for ecological balance is reignited. In demonstrating the extraordinary value of chocolate in Mesoamerica, the authors provide new reasonsif any are neededto celebrate this wondrous concoction.
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