Materialist Factors

Research at the National Archaeological Park Tak’alik Ab’aj reveals that Chocolá’s hydraulic engineering, including stone conduits and canals, mirrors systems found in other ancient Maya cities like Takalik Abaj and Kaminaljuyu. This suggests a deliberate sharing of technology among these polities, indicating strong interconnections between them. Additionally, the study proposes that intensive surplus cacao production—likely through large groves—contributed significantly to Chocolá’s rise as a powerful society. The 'Shook Altar,' a notable monument from the Southern Maya Region, plays a key role in this hypothesis, supporting theories of long-distance trade and economic prosperity.

Kaplan, J., & Umaña, F. P. (2018). Materialist Factors. Water, Cacao, and the Early Maya of Chocóla, 263–315. https://doi.org/10.5744/florida/9780813056746.003.0007