The Maya Civilization Used Cacao and Cotton Textiles as Money

An anthropologist and historian, Dr. Joanne P. Baron, from Bard Early College Network, Newark, USA has revealed that Maya people were used cacao beans, chocolate drinks and cotton textiles as money during Classic Maya (250 – 900 CE) period. The cacao cultivation was originated between 1900-1500 BCE in Mesoamerica. The fermented cacao fruits were used to make alcoholic drink earlier. The non-alcoholic chocolate drink was later created using long procedure of fermenting the fruits, followed by drying, roasting and grinding the beans and finally mixed with water. 

(A chocolate drink. Photo Courtesy: Pixabay)

The cacao beans and woven cotton textiles were considered as the social status in the Maya civilization. They were used by the elite Maya people. The frothy chocolate drink was used during ceremonies like weddings and also offered to the Gods. The fresh and large cacao beans had high value than the shriveled beans. The ash coloured beans usually have good aroma and flavour, in contrast to the red coloured beans which are not fermented completely. So, the ash coloured beans had higher value. The Maya people used small beans for consumption and large beans were used as money. 

(Cacao pods (Wikipedia), Cacao beans (Wikipedia) and Roasted cacao beans (Pixabay))

The woven cotton textiles were used by both men and women as garments. The cotton textiles with embroidery, painting and stamping decorative works displayed the social status of the people. The softness of cotton also added value to the clothes and they were worn by nobles. The clothes produced from Maguey fibers were considered as low status and were worn by common people.

Baron has found several scenes on the murals from the 7th century that show people paying frothing chocolate to buy tamale dough. Those murals were discovered in Calakmul archaeological site. They were from a radial pyramid in the center of a market complex. The scenes on the murals show people buying, selling and exchanging items like maize grain, atole (maize drink), tamales, tamale dough, tobacco, salt, clay jars, mats, parrot, etc. Three other scenes depict different size and colour of woven textiles exhibited for trade. 

(A Mayan lord prohibiting a man from touching chocolate - Wikipedia)

Ceramic vessels and carved monuments from end of the 7^th century to 8^th century show the scene of lords accepting textiles as tribute. Even when Spain invaded Mesoamerica in 1519, cacao and cotton textiles were used to buy and sell things in marketplaces, in gambling and as payment for labor. Baron mentions that Aztecs also known to use cacao and textiles to pay warriors, governors, craftsmen and merchants. For instance, 11 million cacao beans were paid as tribute every year to the ruler of Texcoco.