Cacao DNA found in Etowah pottery reveals ancient North American trade

Researchers have discovered cacao DNA in pottery fragments from the Etowah site, a major Mississippian center located in present-day Georgia. This finding provides the first direct evidence that cacao was consumed or handled in this region between the 11th and 12th centuries, hundreds of years before European arrival in North America.

Because cacao does not grow naturally in the Appalachian Southeast and requires tropical climates, its presence suggests a long-distance supply chain connecting the Mississippian people to cacao-producing regions in Central or South America. The DNA was recovered from microscopic residues embedded in ceramic sherds found in contexts associated with feasting.

The discovery suggests that cacao may have played a role in social rituals, diplomacy, or status signaling within Mississippian society, similar to its use in other ancient American civilizations.