The Amazon Wasn’t Wild. It Was a Giant Chocolate Garden | Andrew & Ed Investigate New Evidence

Did chocolate really begin in the Amazon rainforest?In this episode of The Chocolate Podcast, Ed Easton and Andrew Nason explore the mysterious Capybara Caves, ancient cave art, lost Amazon civilisations, and the forgotten origins of cacao.We discuss whether the first tree ever painted by humans could actually have been a cacao tree, how ancient Amazonian peoples may have cultivated chocolate long before the Maya or Aztecs, and why the first European explorers were stunned by what they found in the Amazon.This episode covers:The hidden origins of chocolateAncient Amazon cave paintingsThe Capybara Caves explainedWas the first painted tree a cacao tree?Female-led Amazon societies and cacao cultureSpanish explorers in the Amazon rainforestLost civilisations of South AmericaThe history of cacao before the Maya and AztecsIf you love chocolate history, archaeology, ancient civilisations, food science, and untold stories, this episode is for you.FOLLOW for more episodes on the science, history and recipes of chocolate. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.