Chocolate didn’t start with the Maya or Aztecs. In this episode, we go deeper into the Amazon rainforest to explore the true origins of cacao and the early civilisations that first cultivated chocolate.

Ed and Andrew break down the latest thinking on cacao’s origins, from ancient Amazonian agroforestry and Terra Preta soil to the idea that the rainforest itself was a carefully engineered orchard. We explore how early Amazonian peoples may have discovered, fermented and developed cacao long before it spread across the Americas.

The episode also looks at the role of trade between regions, including how cacao may have moved north while crops like maize moved south, shaping entire civilisations. Along the way, we challenge traditional narratives around chocolate history and uncover the people and environments that made it possible.

Topics covered:

• The origins of cacao in the Amazon
• Ancient Amazonian civilisations, like the Mayo-Chinchipe people
• Terra Preta and early agriculture
• How chocolate spread to the Maya and Aztecs
• The science and evolution of cacao
• Food history and anthropology

If you’re interested in chocolate, history, food science or ancient civilisations, this episode offers a fresh perspective on one of the world’s most iconic foods.

Follow the podcast for more episodes exploring the science, history and recipes of chocolate.

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