Podcast
Questions and Answers
What was a common sweetener used by the Mayans in their food and drinks?
What was a common sweetener used by the Mayans in their food and drinks?
- Brown sugar
- Agave nectar
- Maple syrup
- Honey (correct)
What type of fish was commonly transported by Coastal Mayan groups using canoes?
What type of fish was commonly transported by Coastal Mayan groups using canoes?
- Freshwater fish
- Dried fish (correct)
- Smoked fish
- Saltwater fish
What was the primary use of cacao beans in Mayan society?
What was the primary use of cacao beans in Mayan society?
- For making drinks
- As a currency (correct)
- As a medicinal herb
- As an ingredient in sauces
What was the usual width range of Mayan roads, known as sacbeobs?
What was the usual width range of Mayan roads, known as sacbeobs?
Which of the following spices was NOT mentioned as used by the Mayans?
Which of the following spices was NOT mentioned as used by the Mayans?
What was the maximum height of Mayan roads over swampland?
What was the maximum height of Mayan roads over swampland?
What characteristic did the longest Mayan road have?
What characteristic did the longest Mayan road have?
Which of the following was a common item traded by wealthy Mayan merchants?
Which of the following was a common item traded by wealthy Mayan merchants?
What was the primary use of cacao beans by the Maya in their society?
What was the primary use of cacao beans by the Maya in their society?
What was a significant reason for the limited consumption of chocolate among the Maya?
What was a significant reason for the limited consumption of chocolate among the Maya?
In what form did the Maya nobility primarily consume chocolate?
In what form did the Maya nobility primarily consume chocolate?
How did the climate affect cacao cultivation in the Yucatan region?
How did the climate affect cacao cultivation in the Yucatan region?
Which group was primarily responsible for the early cultivation of cocoa before the Maya?
Which group was primarily responsible for the early cultivation of cocoa before the Maya?
What did the Maya often mix with their chocolate drink?
What did the Maya often mix with their chocolate drink?
Why were cocoa beans considered valuable in Mayan society?
Why were cocoa beans considered valuable in Mayan society?
Which of the following best describes the role of chocolate in Mayan religious ceremonies?
Which of the following best describes the role of chocolate in Mayan religious ceremonies?
Flashcards
Mayan Food Flavourings
Mayan Food Flavourings
The Mayans used spices, herbs, chili peppers, vanilla, cinnamon, and honey to flavour their food and drinks.
Mayan Sacbeobs
Mayan Sacbeobs
Raised roads built by the Mayans, often connecting important sites, frequently as high as 8 feet in swampy areas, and usually 12-32 feet wide.
Mayan Transportation
Mayan Transportation
Mayan trade relied on canoes for coastal transport, slaves for inland transport, and established routes.
Mayan Trade Goods
Mayan Trade Goods
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Mayan Currency
Mayan Currency
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Mayan Chocolate Drink
Mayan Chocolate Drink
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Cacao Pods
Cacao Pods
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Kakaw
Kakaw
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Cacao Bean Currency
Cacao Bean Currency
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Mayan Cocoa Cultivation
Mayan Cocoa Cultivation
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Mayan Social Stratification
Mayan Social Stratification
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Olmec Civilization
Olmec Civilization
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Study Notes
Mayan Chocolate
- Cacao trees grow pods directly from their trunks
- Pods contain cacao beans
- Mayans used cacao beans to make chocolate drinks since the 4th century AD
- Early chocolate drinks were bitter and often spiced with chili, vanilla, and other spices
- Rich and noble Mayans enjoyed the drinks
- Cacao beans were a valuable commodity, even used as currency
- Maya word for chocolate is Kakaw
- Mayans used chocolate in religious ceremonies and for medicine
Mayan Chocolate Cultivation
- Mayans were descendants of Olmec civilization, who also grew cocoa
- Cocoa cultivation began in low-lying areas with suitable temperatures and climate around 200 BC
- Later, when populations moved to the Yucatan, Maya developed new cocoa cultivation methods suited to local gardens.
- Yucatan climate wasn't ideally suited to cocoa growth
- Cocoa cultivation was limited and in some cities, cocoa had to be imported, making it a valuable commodity
Mayan Chocolate for the Elite
- Chocolate consumption was primarily for the nobility class
- Cacao cultivation was done on a small scale, requiring imports from other regions
- Elite consumed chocolate as a luxury drink, commoners rarely consumed it
- Chocolate consumption reflected social stratification in Mayan society
Cocoa Beans as Currency
- Cocoa beans highly valued in Mayan society
- Used as currency in marketplaces
- Royalty used cocoa beans as gifts
- Cities with influence over other city-states demanded cocoa beans as tribute
Mayan Food Flavourings
- Mayans were advanced in food flavorings
- Used many spices and herbs to flavor foods and drinks
- Chili peppers, vanilla, cinnamon were common ingredients
- Honey used as a sweetener
- Avocado sauce was a popular, everyday dish
Mayan Roads (Sacbeobs)
- Roads (sacbeobs) were elevated (2-4 ft, up to 8 ft in swampy areas)
- Twelve to thirty-two feet wide, depending on traffic
- Connected important buildings and complexes
- Connected ceremonial centers to outlying areas
- Longest road stretched from Coba to Yaxuna (over 60 miles)
- Some roads were over 100 km long
Mayan Coastal Trade
- Coastal groups used canoes for trade
- Traded salt, fish, shells, pearls to inland communities
- No beasts of burden or wheels
- Goods transported on backs of slaves or in canoes
- Canoes were large (50 ft long)
- Coastal trade continued when the Spanish arrived
Later Mayan Trade Items
- Salted and dried meats were highly valued
- Turquoise, gold, copper objects from Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica, Colombia appeared around 900 AD
- Wealthy merchants controlled commerce and set prices for cacao beans
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