Eleanor Finch
The Mayans had a varied and extensive diet, consuming many different types of resources, including maritime, flora, and faunal materials. Their food was obtained or produced through strategies such as hunting, foraging, and large-scale agricultural production. Maize was the staple food of the Mayans, constituting 70% of their diet, and was eaten in a variety of ways, including tortillas, cooked on a comal and used to wrap other foods such as meat and beans. In addition to maize, the Mayans also consumed beans, yams, squash, chili peppers, tomatoes, avocado, pineapple, pumpkin, and sweet potatoes. They also hunted deer, armadillos, monkeys, guinea pigs, turtles, and iguanas, and fished for lobsters and shrimps.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Main food | Maize |
| Other names for maize | Corn, Chapalote-Nal-Tel |
| Preparation method | Nixtamalization (soaking and cooking in an alkaline solution) |
| Preparation tools | Metate (for grinding) and comal (for cooking) |
| Maize-based dishes | Tortillas, tamales |
| Other crops | Chili peppers, manioc, cotton, agave, cacao, beans, yams |
| Meat sources | Hunting (deer, manatee, armadillo, tapir, peccary, monkey, guinea pig, turtle, iguana, white-tailed deer), domestication (dog, turkey), fishing (fish, lobster, shrimp, conch, shellfish) |
| Other food sources | Insects, Chaya, Atol, Pozol |
| Drinks | Chocolate (made from cacao beans, ground and mixed with chili peppers, honey, and cornmeal), juices |
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What You'll Learn
Maize was the staple food
The Maya cultivated maize using agricultural fields and forest gardens, known as "pet kot". They also adopted adaptive techniques such as slash-and-burn, or swidden, agriculture, which cleared and temporarily fertilized the land. Maize was prepared in a variety of ways but was always nixtamalized, a process in which the maize is soaked and cooked in an alkaline solution to release niacin, a necessary B vitamin that prevents pellagra and reduces incidents of protein deficiency. Once nixtamalized, the maize was typically ground up and made into tortillas, which were used to wrap other foods such as meat and beans.
In addition to its dietary importance, maize also held great cultural significance for the Maya. It figured in all important sites and rituals, and was even used as a form of currency. The Maya also traded maize with other civilizations, which helped to spread their influence and culture throughout the region.
While maize was the staple food of the Maya, it was not the only crop they cultivated. Cacao, the source of cocoa and chocolate, was also an important crop for the Maya and held strong religious significance. The Maya are believed to be the first people to have cultivated the cacao plant for food and considered it a "gift from the gods". Other crops grown by the Maya included beans, yams, chili peppers, manioc, cotton, and agave.
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Meat and seafood
The ancient Maya diet was varied and extensive, with meat and seafood constituting a significant portion. Hunting was the main source of meat, and the ancient Maya were considerate hunters, only killing what they needed. They hunted deer, manatee, armadillo, tapir, peccary, monkey, guinea pig, turtle, and iguana. The majority of their meat, however, came from white-tailed deer, as evidenced by animal remains in middens.
In addition to hunting, the Maya may have domesticated certain animals for meat, such as dogs and turkeys. They also consumed insects and birds, including wild turkeys, curassows, and wild boar.
The ancient Maya diet was also supplemented by maritime resources, especially in coastal areas. They consumed fish, lobster, shrimp, conch, and other shellfish. Fishing was done using sweep and drag nets, hook-and-line, and bow-and-arrow in lagoons. Along the coasts, the catch was salted, dried, or roasted for preservation and trade.
Meat was often wrapped in tortillas, along with other foods such as beans and avocado. Tamales, made from corn dough and a mix of meat and vegetables, were also a convenient food due to their ease of transport.
Isotopic analysis of skeletal remains has provided valuable information about the ancient Maya diet, including the importance of meat and seafood as protein sources. This analysis has revealed that the ancient Maya had a diverse and adaptable cuisine, utilizing various hunting, fishing, and agricultural techniques to ensure a sustainable food supply.
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Plant domestication
Maize was the staple food of the ancient Mayan diet, with evidence suggesting that Chapalote-Nal-Tel was the dominant species. It was eaten in a variety of ways, including as tortillas, cooked on a comal and used to wrap other foods, and as tamales, made by stuffing different kinds of meat and beans into corn husks. Before its domestication, maize was used as a base for beer.
The Mayans' plant domestication and cultivation practices allowed them to adopt a sedentary lifestyle and develop permanent settlements. They used astronomy to determine the best months to plant and harvest their crops and employed irrigation techniques to harness rainwater. They also utilised the slash-and-burn technique, also known as swidden agriculture, to clear land and temporarily fertilise the area.
In addition to maize, the Mayans domesticated and cultivated other crops, including cacao, beans, squash, tobacco, and chilli peppers. Cacao played a significant role in Mayan culture, used in rituals as a drink and as currency in trade. Beans were often grown alongside maize, as they provide complementary dietary amino acids and improve the bioavailability of maize when prepared with limewater. Squash, known as one of the "Three Sisters", was another important crop, providing dietary variety and allowing for the establishment of permanent settlements.
The domestication of cotton allowed the Mayans to create textiles of vibrant colours, reflecting their cultural value of appearance and adornment. They also domesticated rubber trees, which were used to make rubber balls for their culturally significant ball games.
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Hunting and foraging
Hunting shrines discovered by archaeologists suggest that the Maya may have had rituals related to hunting and a belief in a supernatural guardian of animals. These shrines may have been places where the Maya offered the bones of hunted animals to show respect and ensure they were not overhunting.
While hunting provided meat, it was not the main source of food for the ancient Maya. Plant-based foods, particularly maize, formed the central component of their diet. Maize, or corn, held great cultural significance for the Maya and was used in various ways, always undergoing nixtamalization before consumption. This process, derived from the Nahuatl word, involves soaking and cooking maize in an alkaline solution, releasing niacin (vitamin B3) and preventing protein deficiency. After nixtamalization, the maize was ground and used to make tortillas, a well-known pre-Columbian Mesoamerican food.
The ancient Maya also foraged and gathered wild plants and crops from their surroundings. They practiced sustainable agriculture and forestry, leaving much of the rainforest intact while cultivating specific areas. They utilized techniques like slash-and-burn agriculture, crop rotation, and farming to maintain soil viability and diversity in their crops. In addition to maize, they cultivated chili peppers, manioc, squash, beans, avocados, cotton, and various fruits and vegetables.
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Agriculture and trade
Agriculture was of great importance to the Mayans, as evidenced by its prominence in their religion. The ancient Mayan food supply was largely dependent on agricultural fields and forest gardens, known as "pet kot". The Mayans employed various adaptive techniques, such as slash-and-burn agriculture, to clear and temporarily fertilise land for cultivation.
Maize was the staple food of the Mayans and held great cultural significance. It was central to their mythology, with the belief that the first humans were crafted from an ear of corn. Maize was prepared in a variety of ways, including being ground into flour and used to make tortillas, which were then filled with meat or beans.
Other important crops included cacao, beans, yams, and other food plants. The Mayans also cultivated chili peppers, manioc, cotton, and agave in gardens near their homes. They practiced tree-cropping, growing chili peppers, tomatoes, avocado, pineapple, pumpkin, and sweet potatoes. Additionally, they engaged in hunting and maritime exploitation to obtain meat and seafood, respectively.
Trade was also significant to the Mayans, as they were the first to cultivate the cacao plant for food and drink chocolate. They held cocoa in high regard, considering it a gift from the gods and using cocoa beans in ceremonial sacrifices. Mayan trade extended beyond their region, as evidenced by the spread of their food practices and the influence on modern Maya cuisine.
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Frequently asked questions
Maize was the staple food of the Mayans and was central to their diet.
The Mayans also ate beans, yams, squash, chilli peppers, tomatoes, avocado, pineapple, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, deer, armadillo, monkeys, guinea pigs, turtle, iguana, fish, lobsters, shrimps, dogs, turkeys, insects, chaya, atol, and pozol.
Maize was significant in Mayan mythology as it was believed that the first humans were crafted from an ear of corn.
The Mayans ground up maize to make tortillas, which they used to wrap meat and beans in.
The Mayan diet was based on maritime, flora, and faunal material, obtained through hunting, foraging, and large-scale agricultural production.
