Buy new:
$36.77
FREE delivery Friday, May 17
Ships from: Amazon.com
Sold by: Amazon.com
$36.77
FREE Returns
FREE delivery Friday, May 17
Or fastest delivery Thursday, May 16. Order within 13 hrs 7 mins
In Stock
$$36.77 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$36.77
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Ships from
Amazon.com
Ships from
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Returns
30-day easy returns
30-day easy returns
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Returns
30-day easy returns
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Payment
Secure transaction
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
$32.99
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
No wear and tear spotted. Excellent cosmetic condition. Used like new. There is no writing or highlighting inside this book. Fast shipping directly from the Amazon Warehouse. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed No wear and tear spotted. Excellent cosmetic condition. Used like new. There is no writing or highlighting inside this book. Fast shipping directly from the Amazon Warehouse. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed See less
FREE delivery Monday, May 20 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
$$36.77 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$36.77
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

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

by Cameron L. McNeil (Editor)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 22 ratings
See all formats and editions
{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$36.77","priceAmount":36.77,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"36","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"77","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"86voxEfXiD2ZZZvCrQ7569zWqAjF8L%2F8p%2BOCk8w5mtbINFESCXwQwj%2B2AqyFKQLUCVVaebfBEnf9zh42ZfG2XXbH%2BIQ8GIOhlKHDz7vIuw%2FYr2Uqobj6x2mqGkGWeTVcvpfBbhc02Dk%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}, {"displayPrice":"$32.99","priceAmount":32.99,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"32","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"99","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"86voxEfXiD2ZZZvCrQ7569zWqAjF8L%2F88asOwjx6UzsFHbsIWxtwaaub7lMIqFEpmFACZgnK5ARhUAqki67ZjGb1HUR5e9LtnOtp3dl%2B6vBEjCxr%2FdvhmXsx0lfiZg3mjdwHsqb3yAeLvLZMu7frSOlvxbt%2FeM4N22LvwlUBy8JoQWYWjxTOSfrvNPacGnID","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

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.

Read more Read less
Previous page
  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
  8. See all details
Next page
Amazon First Reads | Editors' picks at exclusive prices

Frequently bought together

Chocolate in Mesoamerica: A Cultural History of Cacao (Maya Studies)
$36.77
Get it as soon as Friday, May 17
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
The Chocolate Tree: A Natural History of Cacao
$17.69
Get it as soon as Friday, May 17
Only 9 left in stock (more on the way).
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
SACRED CACAO: Food of The Gods: Cocoa, Chocolate, and Ceremony
$9.97
Get it as soon as Friday, May 17
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Details
Added to Cart
Some of these items ship sooner than the others.
Show details Hide details
Choose items to buy together.

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 ‏ : ‎ 1.77 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1.14 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 22 ratings

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
22 global ratings

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?
Helpful
 Report
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
Helpful
 Report
J. Edwards
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on August 3, 2017
Verified Purchase
Great book on the history of Chocolate....
Helpful
 Report
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.
6 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
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
Helpful
 Report
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
Helpful
 Report
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
Helpful
 Report
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
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
Ángel Santiago
1.0 out of 5 stars Libro cortado
Reviewed in Mexico on May 13, 2021
Verified Purchase
El libro llegó con un corte en la pasta y abarca 7 hojas
Customer image
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
Images in this review
Customer image
Customer image
Report