Detection of Cocoa Use in the Ancient City of Etowah
On August 30 at 12:09 PM, a study was published in the scientific journal PLOS One, confirming that the inhabitants of the ancient city of Etowah, belonging to the Mississippi culture, consumed cocoa as early as the 11th-12th centuries. This study serves as crucial evidence of tropical cocoa usage in the area east of the Mississippi River and indicates the existence of extensive trade networks prior to the arrival of Europeans in these lands.
Archaeological Findings and Their Significance
The archaeological site of Etowah is located in present-day Georgia, USA, and encompasses six large prehistoric earthen mounds, settlements, and areas covering a total of 22 acres along the Etowah River. The research team studied three ceramic fragments dating from 800 to 900 years ago, which were found in ritual pits left after feasts during the construction of the first mound.
Scientists sequenced DNA from ancient beverage residues on the clay walls of the fragments and compared the obtained data with the cocoa genome. Complex filtration methods were applied to separate the needed markers from the DNA of soil bacteria, foreign plants, and external contaminants. Previous chemical analyses detected caffeine in these samples but could not accurately confirm the presence of cocoa, as local plants like Japanese holly also contain caffeine and theobromine.
The genetic analysis of ancient DNA provided direct and undeniable evidence of the use of tropical cocoa, which exclusively grows in tropical regions. This discovery suggests that cocoa may have been part of the trade and culture of local civilizations long before Europeans arrived in this region.
Thus, the results of the study emphasize the importance of archaeological findings for understanding the history and cultural connections of ancient peoples in North America.
They also open new perspectives for studying intercultural contacts and trade routes that existed prior to colonization. This research may change our perception of the development of civilizations in America and their integration into global trade.