Cacao use and the San Lorenzo Olmec

Mesoamerican peoples had a long history of cacao use--spanning more than 34 centuries--as confirmed by previous identification of cacao residues on archaeological pottery from Paso de la Amada on the Pacific Coast and the Olmec site of El Manatí on the Gulf Coast. Until now, comparable evidence fro...

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Published inProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS Vol. 108; no. 21; pp. 8595 - 8600
Main Authors Powis, Terry G, Cyphers, Ann, Gaikwad, Nilesh W, Grivetti, Louis, Cheong, Kong
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States National Academy of Sciences 24.05.2011
National Acad Sciences
Subjects
Americas
Archaeology
Archaeology - methods
Beverages
Bottles
Bowls
Cacao
Cacao - history
Ceramics
Ceremonial Behavior
coasts
Cocoa
cocoa products
Comparative analysis
Cultural history
Culture historical archaeology
Funerary rituals
History, Ancient
Humans
Identification
Liquids
Pottery
Rites & ceremonies
Signatures
Social Sciences
theobromine
Theobromine - analysis
Theobromine - history
Americas
San Lorenzo New Mexico
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Summary:Mesoamerican peoples had a long history of cacao use--spanning more than 34 centuries--as confirmed by previous identification of cacao residues on archaeological pottery from Paso de la Amada on the Pacific Coast and the Olmec site of El Manatí on the Gulf Coast. Until now, comparable evidence from San Lorenzo, the premier Olmec capital, was lacking. The present study of theobromine residues confirms the continuous presence and use of cacao products at San Lorenzo between 1800 and 1000 BCE, and documents assorted vessels forms used in its preparation and consumption. One elite context reveals cacao use as part of a mortuary ritual for sacrificial victims, an event that occurred during the height of San Lorenzo's power.
Bibliography:http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1100620108
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Edited by Michael D. Coe, Yale University, New Haven, CT, and approved April 8, 2011 (received for review January 12, 2011)
Author contributions: T.G.P. and A.C. designed research; T.G.P., A.C., N.W.G., L.G., and K.C. performed research; N.W.G. and L.G. contributed new reagents/analytic tools; T.G.P., A.C., N.W.G., L.G., and K.C. analyzed data; and T.G.P., A.C., N.W.G., L.G., and K.C. wrote the paper.
ISSN:0027-8424
1091-6490
DOI:10.1073/pnas.1100620108