Where did chocolate originate?

Santa Ana-La Florida in Southern Ecuador. This site contains some of the earliest evidence for cacao domestication and likely chocolate consumption.

It was believed that chocolate was invented in Mesoamerica, such as present day Mexico and Guatemala. However, with the research we have today, it is believed that chocolate may have been invented by people in South America, and more specifically in or near Ecuador around at least 3300-3500 BC. An excavation site called Santa Ana-La Florida in Southern Ecuador contains pottery with traces of the alkaloids found in chocolate (theobromine and caffeine), and is the earliest physical evidence we have, outdating many sources from Mesoamerica including those tied to the Aztecs, Mayans, Olmecs, and Mokaya. The pottery at Santa-Ana-La Florida which contained these alkaloids appeared to have been intended for liquids, such as drinking chocolate. Chocolate was originally consumed as a drink, much like coffee or tea. Check out another source regarding this here.

Many people today believe that chocolate was invented in Mexico, Guatemala, Peru (Incas) and even Africa (since today Africa produces most of the cacao in the world). As more archeological research surfaces, the idea of where chocolate originated may shift once again. However, for the time being it appears to have its origins in South America, not Mesoamerica as thought earlier. This also makes sense, since we also believe that the cacao tree originated in South America, likely in the Northern Amazon. Until the excavation at Santa Ana-La Florida, there was no evidence in South America which suggested it was invented there. As more is uncovered, our perception of the origins of chocolate may change.

We know that the people at Santa Ana-La Florida were consuming cacao, and consuming it as a drink. However, was it the same product that was being drunk in Mesoamerica by the Mayans and Aztecs? Further research is required. It appears they don’t have the tools to grind and make drinking chocolate as they did in Mesoamerica. So although we don’t have evidence they consumed chocolate (a mixture of water and ground cocoa beans), we don’t know they didn’t. That is, we don’t exactly the form they were consuming it, but we do know they were as far back as 5500 BC.