Ancient DNA reveals Central American cacao in 11th-century Georgia

Archaeologists have discovered traces of Central American cacao in 11th-century pottery at Etowah, an ancient Indigenous city in northern Georgia. The finding provides the first definitive evidence that the Mississippian culture maintained trade connections extending deep into the tropics.

Led by University of South Carolina archaeologist Adam King, the research team identified DNA from Theobroma cacao in potsherds recovered from feasting pits. These pits are associated with the construction of the site's first platform mound. The findings, published in PLOS ONE (2026), were made possible through DNA sequencing, which provided a level of certainty that previous chemical tests could not. While earlier tests had identified caffeine, researchers noted that native plants, such as yaupon holly, also contain caffeine and theobromine, making genetic sequencing essential to confirm the presence of the tropical cacao tree.

A Network of Luxury

Etowah served as a major center for the Mississippian culture, a society known for its complex social hierarchies and massive earthen mounds. Until now, evidence of such long-distance trade for luxury goods was primarily concentrated in the American Southwest, where sites like Chaco Canyon were known to import macaws and cacao from Central America. The discovery at Etowah suggests that the Eastern Woodlands were not isolated from these expansive networks, challenging older archaeological narratives that had dismissed the possibility of Central American influence in the region due to a lack of evidence.

Redefining Pre-Colonial Trade

This discovery proves that pre-colonial Indigenous civilizations in North America were linked by a far more complex and expansive web of cultural exchange than previously documented. Because cacao trees grow only in tropical regions, their presence in Georgia establishes a direct or indirect link between the Mississippian world and the Maya world. It suggests that luxury goods, ideas, and people moved across the continent through sophisticated trade routes long before the arrival of Europeans, indicating a high level of intercontinental connectivity.

Future Investigations

The discovery opens new avenues for research into how these goods moved across the landscape. Adam King and his colleagues stated that these results prompt a closer look for evidence of links connecting the Mississippian world to the Hohokam and Ancestral Pueblo of the Southwest. Researchers will now seek to determine if the cacao arrived via a series of regional intermediaries or through more direct long-distance expeditions.