Ancient pottery reveals earliest known chocolate traces east of Mississippi
Archaeologists have discovered traces of cacao in pottery near the Etowah Indian Mounds, dating back to the 11th century. This evidence suggests that cacao consumption was part of an interconnected trade network in North America long before European colonization.
Why it matters
The discovery challenges previous assumptions about the isolation of Indigenous cultures and highlights the complexity of pre-Columbian trade routes.
Chocolate has been providing a sugar high to humans for centuries, enough to inspire them to build monuments too. A new genetic analysis of pottery pieces near the Etowah Indian Mounds has revealed the earliest known traces of cacao east of the Mississippi River, according to Smithsonian Magazine, citing a study published in PLOS One on August 26.According to the study, the cacao beans reached Etowah by around the 11th century, citing new evidence of traces of the substance in North America. “This study presents the first evidence that cacao consumption was part of the Mississippian world at roughly the same time as it appeared at Chaco [Canyon],” the study reads.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in