Chocolate : Pathway to the Gods

Chocolate lovers abound globally, yet few know that chocolate derives from the cacao tree which grows in many parts of Central and South America. It was the ancient Mesoamerican civilizations who cultivated and converted the cacao bean to the delightful creation known as “chocolate” which was a delicacy reserved for royalty and ceremony. In the 18th century, naturalist Carolus Linnaeus aptly bestowed the cacao tree’s scientific name, Theobroma cacao, or “Food of the Gods” as cacao played a significant role in creation stories as a sacred tree for the protection of the deities. This book explores chocolate’s complex legacy in ritual, art, economy, codices, and even power in the Olmec, Mayan, Mixtec, and Aztec worlds.