Archaeologists studying pottery in the lower Ulua Valley discovered what is, at least until now, the oldest evidence of chocolate. The find pushes the earliest known date for chocolate by at least 500 years.
The beverage was identified by analyzing residue from potsherds. Chemical analysis revealed traces of theobromine, which is found only in the cacao plant. Cacao beans are dried and then processed into chocolate. It is likely that the people who made the ancient form found in the Ulua Valley made use of the same techniques found today.
The style and quality of the pottery analyzed by researchers indicates the drink was used ceremonially. It likely was served at religious festivals, wedding and birth celebrations. This ancient custom was still in use when the Spaniards first landed in South America.
It is interesting that the customs that developed around this ancient drink survived nearly intact for almost 3,000 years.
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