At Chiapa de Corzo, a Zoquean site in Chiapas occupied 400 BCE–300 CE, jars from burials and caches were tested for residues in 2013. Several tested positive for capsaicin — among the earliest documented chili uses. The spouted elite vessels may have held chili sauce or a poured chili beverage for feasts 🍶🌶️
Capsicum residue detected in vessels from burials and caches at Chiapa de Corzo
MexicoArtifact
Site mentioned
Key facts
- Around 500 BC, the Zapotec in the Valley of Oaxaca began manufacturing ceramic molcajetes (mortar and pestle); because they are ceramic they could not grind tough materials and are believed to have been used for softer foods, particularly chili peppers.
- If that interpretation holds, these are among the earliest evidence for people making salsa and sauces from chili peppers.
- At the Zoquean site of Chiapa de Corzo, occupied between 400 BCE and 300 CE, several jars excavated from burials and caches were tested for residues in 2013.
- Several of those vessels tested positive for capsaicin, making this one of the earliest documented chili pepper uses among the Zoque people.
- Some of the capsaicin-positive pots had spouts, and because they were elite ceramics they likely held elaborate sauces or beverages used in feasts and rituals.
- The video speculates that the spouted vessels held chili sauce or a poured chili-flavored beverage.
Sources
docs.google.com
Linked in video description
Mayan Capsicum annum | D. Gary Youngdgaryyoung.com
The study found Capsicum residue dating from 400 BC to 300 AD (Middle to Late Classic periods) in vessels from Chiapa de Corzo.
Capsaicin: The Compound Behind The Pepper Scalepepperscale.com
Most of it's in the pale, spongy pith inside the pepper, called the placenta, which is where the seeds grow. The seeds don't make any capsaicin ...
Capsicum Waste as a Sustainable Source of ...mdpi.com
by M Yasin · 2023 · Cited by 73 — Fruit wastes (placenta, seeds and unused fruits) and plant biowaste (stems and leaves) can serve as sources of capsaicinoids which can provide ...
Prehispanic Use of Chili Peppers in Chiapas, Mexico - PMCpmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
by TG Powis · 2013 · Cited by 65 — We report here confirmation of Capsicum sp. residues from pottery samples excavated at Chiapa de Corzo in southern Mexico dated from Middle to ...
Prehispanic Use of Chili Peppers in Chiapas, Mexicoresearchgate.net
We report here confirmation of Capsicum sp. residues from pottery samples excavated at Chiapa de Corzo in southern Mexico dated from Middle to ...
Was this story useful?
Keep exploring
Every site on this page sits on the globe, and the people who research them are on the Discord.
3D Globe · Sites by country · Story Archive · Research Library · Weekly Journal · Search
AI-generated text · images from the original sources · always verify with the sources.