Season 3 // Episode 2: The Trade of Cacao

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A special drink in special jars at Chaco Canyon

What do three pieces of 1000-year-old pottery from the desert of Chaco Canyon have in common with the rainforests of Mexico?

“The Southwest was always part of a very large interconnected area - that included Mesoamerica - that shared certain beliefs about the world.”
— Dr. Patricia Crown, Professor of Anthropology, University of New Mexico

Cacao Tree (Theobroma cacao) // NPS PHOTO

In this episode of Season 3, we hear from Dr. Patricia Crown, Professor of Anthropology at the University of New Mexico. Dr. Crown led a groundbreaking study which recently concluded that folks at Pueblo Bonito in Chaco Canyon were consuming a drink made from cacao - a plant that can only be grown in environments much farther south, in Mesoamerica.

We also hear from Hopi archaeologist Lyle Balenquah (Hopi) and traditional Pueblo textile artist Louie Garcia (Tiwa/Piro) about the use of cacao in their communities today.

Additional Resources

Chacoan Cylinder Jars on Exhibit

PHOTO // THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN

The National Museum of the American Indian Washington, D.C. in the Mrs. Thea Heye Collection

American Museum of Natural History New York City, New York

Museum of Indian Arts and Culture Santa Fe, New Mexico

Chicago Field Museum Chicago, Illinois

Chaco Culture National Historical Park

a double-stacked masonry wall comprised of sandstone blocks frames a rectangular doorway looking into an adjacent room, with 3 similar sets of walls and doors continuing into the distance

Pueblo bonito doorways // nps photo

To find more information about the collections at Chaco Culture National Historical Park - or to plan a visit - check out their website or follow on Facebook.

Sources/Additional Reading

  1. “New Mexico professor traces chocolate’s ancient path.” Susan Montoya Bryan. The Journal. 26 Sept 2019.

  2. “Pre-Columbian Chocolate Discovered at Chaco.” Chaco Culture National Historical Park.