- Currency: Cocoa beans functioned as a medium of exchange, serving as a form of currency in Mayan societies. They had specific value and were commonly used in trade and commerce.
- Social Value: Cocoa was associated with social status and high esteem in Mayan culture. It was considered an opulent, valuable luxury item enjoyed by the elite, nobles, and priests. Owning and consuming cocoa was a symbol of wealth and status in Mayan society.
- Religious Ceremonies: Cocoa held great spiritual and religious significance for the Mayas. It played a crucial role in various religious rituals and ceremonies, including those related to fertility, marriage, and the worship of deities.
- Culinary Use: The Mayas also used cocoa in their culinary practices, consuming it as a beverage and an ingredient in various dishes. It was often mixed with other ingredients like chili peppers, honey, and spices to create complex flavors and textures in their cuisine.
Aztecs:
- Tribute: The Aztecs demanded cocoa beans as tribute from the conquered territories they controlled. As a precious commodity, cocoa was a highly valued tribute item, exchanged for other goods and services within their vast empire.
- Religious Significance: Similar to the Mayans, cocoa had deep spiritual importance in Aztec culture. The Aztecs associated it with the god Quetzalcoatl, the ruler of the winds, and believed that drinking cocoa could provide them with divine wisdom and enlightenment.
- Culinary Use: The Aztecs commonly consumed cocoa as a beverage called "xocoatl," which was a mix of cocoa beans, water, chili peppers, and various spices. It was often consumed as a part of special occasions, feasts, and religious ceremonies within Aztec society.
- Currency and Trade: Like the Mayans, cocoa beans also played a role in the Aztec economy as a form of currency. They were used in trade transactions, markets, and as compensation for services rendered.