Over 2,000 years ago, the ancient Mayans discovered a tasty treat in the tropical rainforests of the Americas: the cacao tree.

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Recognizing the value in the fruit of the cacao trees, the Mayans took the tree from the rainforest and harvested it in their own backyards.

The first evidence of chocolate to appear in glyphs and actual remains in ancient vessels came from the Mayan civilization.

The Aztecs believed cacao came from the god Quetzalcoatl.
According to Aztec legend, Quetzacoatl brought cacao down to Earth and was then cast out of paradise for sharing this divine drink with humans. Over 2,000 years ago, the ancient Mayans discovered a tasty treat in the tropical rainforests of the Americas: the cacao tree. Recognizing the value in the fruit of the cacao trees, the Mayans took the tree from the rainforest and harvested it in their own backyards. The first evidence of chocolate appeared in glyphs and actual remains in ancient vessels from the Mayan civilization. Because cacao trees only exist 20 degrees north and south of the equator, the Aztecs and other civilizations had to import cacao seeds.

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