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Chocolate in Mesoamerica: A Cultural History of Cacao (Maya Studies) Paperback – Illustrated, April 19, 2009

by Cameron L. McNeil (Editor)
4.7 out of 5 stars 24 ratings
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Winner of the Society for Economic Botany's Mary W. Klinger Book Award

"A triumph of four-field anthropology. Botany, archaeology, linguistics, ethnography, and a small bit of physical anthropology are seamlessly united. . . . Without integration of the fields, few or none of the interesting conclusions in this work could have been reached."--American Anthropologist

"Contains a watershed of interesting and exciting information. . . . For those with a serious interest in food history and foodways, it is an invaluable source of up-to-date information on one of the most beloved and revered foodstuffs in the Americas."--Austin Chronicle

"A unique, extremely useful collection on chocolate use in Mesoamerica that sets a standard to follow in the expanding field of cultural food studies."--Choice

"McNeil has here assembled an impressive stable of scholars to examine all aspects of cacao development and use in Mesoamerica from its discovery to its use by the modern Maya."--American Archaeology

"In this collection of 21 papers, the authors discuss the linguistic, chemical, agricultural, medicinal, economic and social aspects of the cacao plant, often in exhaustive detail."--Cambridge Archaeological Journal

"I highly recommend the book for specialists as well as for the general public interested in knowing more about cacao; the reading is not complicated and is presented from an anthropological perspective."--Journal of Ethnopharmacology

A volume in the series Maya Studies, edited by Diane and Arlen Chase.

Previous slide of product details
  1. Print length
    560 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    University Press of Florida
  4. Publication date
    April 19, 2009
  5. Dimensions
    6 x 1.14 x 9 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0813033829
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0813033822
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"A monumental contribution to the study of a plant food of basic importance from pre-Columbian times to the present in the Americas and now the world.... It will be the baseline for studies of chocolate in the Americas and the world for the foreseeable future. -- Rene Millon

Book Description

Winner of the Society for Economic Botany's Mary W. Klinger Book Award

 

"A triumph of four-field anthropology. Botany, archaeology, linguistics, ethnography, and a small bit of physical anthropology are seamlessly united. . . . Without integration of the fields, few or none of the interesting conclusions in this work could have been reached."--American Anthropologist

 

"Contains a watershed of interesting and exciting information. . . . For those with a serious interest in food history and foodways, it is an invaluable source of up-to-date information on one of the most beloved and revered foodstuffs in the Americas."--Austin Chronicle

 

"A unique, extremely useful collection on chocolate use in Mesoamerica that sets a standard to follow in the expanding field of cultural food studies."--Choice

 

"McNeil has here assembled an impressive stable of scholars to examine all aspects of cacao development and use in Mesoamerica from its discovery to its use by the modern Maya."--American Archaeology

 

"In this collection of 21 papers, the authors discuss the linguistic, chemical, agricultural, medicinal, economic and social aspects of the cacao plant, often in exhaustive detail."--Cambridge Archaeological Journal

 

"I highly recommend the book for specialists as well as for the general public interested in knowing more about cacao; the reading is not complicated and is presented from an anthropological perspective."--Journal of Ethnopharmacology

 

 

 

A volume in the series Maya Studies, edited by Diane and Arlen Chase.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ University Press of Florida; Illustrated edition (April 19, 2009)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 560 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0813033829
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0813033822
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.75 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1.14 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 out of 5 stars 24 ratings

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4.7 out of 5 stars
24 global ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

  • Ethan L Swift
    5.0 out of 5 stars Best Cacao History book I've read so far!
    Reviewed in the United States on October 3, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    This is best historical reference for cacao in MesoAmerica. It includes and referneces all the other smaller books you've heard of and blows them away. Did you know one of the author's makes chocolate too?
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  • Daniel Morgan
    5.0 out of 5 stars Huge variety of topics - very interesting
    Reviewed in the United States on May 14, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    This is a fascinating collection of essays about Cacao in Mesoamerica. There are a variety of researchers, extensive citations, maps, images, charts, clear explanations. I really appreciate that in this book Mesoamerica does not end in 1500 - the second half of the book is about the colonial and modern periods. I think this book does a phenomenal job of presenting the diversity and ongoing influence of Mesoamerican cacao culture.
    One person found this helpful
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  • J. Edwards
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in the United States on August 3, 2017
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    Great book on the history of Chocolate....
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  • John E. Staller
    5.0 out of 5 stars Chocolate in Mesoamerica: A Cultural History of Cacao
    Reviewed in the United States on May 23, 2008
    Chocolate in Mesoamerica: A Cultural History of Cacao, 2006., edited by Cameron L. McNeil, Gainesville: University Press of Florida (ISBN 0-8130-2953-8) represents the most comprehensive study of cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) published to date. The breadth and scope of this important reference source is impressive. Contributions include research and analysis involving various methodological approaches, anthropology, archaeology, art history, conservation biology, and epigraphy, to explore the role of cacao in ancient and contemporary Mesoamerica and its origins as a domesticate. Scholars from a variety of fields provide new evidence on the domestication of cacao, its ancient use in foods other than beverages, its significance in Mesoamerican religion, and its role in elite feasts. Contributors also discuss: the value of cacao; the artistic conventions concerning cacao and its use; and the archaeological identification of cacao, including the recovery of seeds in archaeological context, residue analysis from ancient ceramics, and the hieroglyphic markings on ancient ceramic containers. These studies pose various questions such as: where beverages made from cacao pulp or only the seeds? Was cacao associated with the ancient elite and consumed primarily as a beverage? Was cacao widely available to individuals and societies of non-elite status? Some researchers study current religious practices involving cacao, especially in Mexico and Guatemala, in order to determine if these practices may provide clues to ancient associations of this plant.
    The volume Chocolate in Mesoamerica: A Cultural History of Cacao is divided into four parts: Part I explores the origins of cacao, how was it domesticated, its chemical properties, it biogeography and identification of and its close relatives in other regions of the Neotropics. In Part II, archaeologists, art historians, linguists, and epigraphers document the pre-Columbian uses and importance of cacao how it was consumed and by whom, a truly multidisciplinary perspective. Some contributions explore how cacao became interwoven with later Spanish diet and culture, eventually spreading into the cuisines of most of Europe and the rest of the world. In Part III, ethnohistorians and archaeologists sixteenth-century documents to provide an understanding of the role of the colonial Spanish governments in altering the cultivation practices and consumption of cacao among indigenous peoples of Mesoamerica. Some contributors document the incorporation of cacao into Spanish cuisine. In Part IV, archaeologists, ethnobotanists, and ethnographers record the many uses of cacao and how its continued to be cultivated by Mesoamerican communities in the present. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the history of Chocolate and its role in the foodways of the world, and to students and scholars focused upon its Pre-Columbian past and how remnants of this history continue to the present.
    8 people found this helpful
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  • M. Vasta
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great book!
    Reviewed in the United States on April 15, 2007
    This book is a great contribution to the field of Mesoamerican studies. When I ordered it I wasn't sure what to expect, but I have really enjoyed it. The interdisciplinary approach allows for a thorough examination of the role of cacao in the cultural life of indigenous Mesoamericans, past and present. I appreciated the diachronic examination of the subject as it allows the reader to better understand how cacao was and is culturally important to Mesoamericans. Additionally, it demonstrates how this seed become significant to the colonial economy as well as the larger world market. The history of cacao's Native American origins is fascinating. Cacao or chocolate has become an important part of many cultures foodways however its Native American origins are largely overlooked in its contemporary context. McNeil's compilation of current scholarly research about cacao nicely demonstrates the origin and development of this Native American resource.
    14 people found this helpful
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  • Kosarux
    5.0 out of 5 stars excellent
    Reviewed in the United States on May 5, 2007
    This volume includes papers by a number of experts on chocolate and Mesoamerica. The chapters are well written and form the most complete coverage of this domesticate in a single volume. The papers consider cacao from multiple perspectives including botany, iconography, ritual, politics, and economy. They also cover a broad geographic area including a number of pre-Columbian and modern cultural groups in Mesoamerica.
    7 people found this helpful
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  • JCW
    5.0 out of 5 stars Delightful!
    Reviewed in the United States on May 13, 2007
    If you are a chocolate lover, this is the book for you! So many books about this topic look at how chocolate developed outside of Mesoamerica. It is nice to read about cacao in its original cultural context. Interesting and well-organized. A nice addition to any chocolate connoisseur's library.
    5 people found this helpful
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  • Eddie Black
    4.0 out of 5 stars very thorough but also very technical at times
    Reviewed in the United States on September 21, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    This book is extremely thorough. There are scholarly essays on all aspects of chocolate in Mesoamerica. There are chapters about the actual cacao trees, how it was used in pre-Columbian times, how it was used in different parts of Central and South America, what types of vessels were used for drinking and storing the chocolate, and much more. The only negative is that it is very scholarly so some of it is dry and probably more information that you would need. But you can always pick and choose the chapters you want to read or skip because you don't have to read the book in any specific order.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Ángel Santiago
    1.0 out of 5 stars Libro cortado
    Reviewed in Mexico on May 13, 2021
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    El libro llegó con un corte en la pasta y abarca 7 hojas
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    Ángel Santiago
    1.0 out of 5 stars
    Libro cortado

    Reviewed in Mexico on May 13, 2021
    El libro llegó con un corte en la pasta y abarca 7 hojas
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