No civilization in the history of our planet existed longer than the ancient Mayans. The historical period in which they were at the forefront lasted 3,500 years. This is an unheard of figure and possibly one that will never be surpassed. This civilization reigned approximately from 2500 a. Until 900 d. However, most of what they accomplished went unnoticed. There was no written or oral news that traveled the world to describe their exploits and the impact they had on the planet and the rest of humanity. In essence, they were the “ghosts of history.”
CORN, COTTON, AND CHOCOLATE: HOW THE MAYANS CHANGED THE WORLD looks like a textbook, something you may have to buy for your Social Studies class. It could also be a highly cited text to aid in your final paper or thesis research. Sounds like a pretty dry thing, huh? I am pleased to say that in the hands of author James O’Kon, this eye-opening work was never short of surprises and could gladly hold the interest of any savvy individual looking to learn more about perhaps the most influential civilization of all time. .
Instead of a direct chapter-by-chapter review, I thought it would make things more interesting.
10 things the world can thank the Mayans
1. The Mayans were cosmic philosophers. They always considered themselves sky watchers and this need to understand the universe above and around us made them the first known astronomers. They were able to gain astonishing knowledge of the harmonious composition of the cosmos. Yes, long before Carl Sagan!
2. They were the best agronomists in the history of the word. They made the term cultivar famous. Not just a collection of plants or flowers, but a natural process perfected through careful cultivation. You can thank Colón for spreading the word around his global travels about the original ‘flower power’ people.
3. The invention of the number zero. This is nothing to laugh at (no pun intended). Mathematicians have proclaimed that one of the unique achievements of the human age, and the greatest intellectual feat of the Mayans, was the number zero. This was a culture that was so introspective and intelligent that they were actually able to grasp the concept of something that has no value, but still makes it the starting point for number sequences!
4. Corn. Long thought to be a Native American find, corn, or as we more commonly call it, corn, was produced due to the sophisticated cultivation of high-yielding grains. Some have called it the greatest invention of the Mayans. They were eons ahead of the trend of genetic manipulation in the creation of food products, in particular, one in which people today cannot go to the movies without enjoying the “exploding” version of corn.
5. The avocado. The fruit known botanically as Persea americana has gained popularity in recent years due to its ‘health benefits’. This tropical delight is the central ingredient in the beloved Guacamole Dip. The Mayans grew avocado trees whose origins can be traced back to the Cenozoic Era.
6. Cassava and how it changed the way the world eats. Yucca root was also mass-grown by the Mayans and the ‘bread of the tropics’ took off in many different cultures around the world. This great source of carbohydrates is second only to sugar cane and sugar beets in that category.
7. Chewing gum. O’Kon talks about the hard, mass-produced gum sticks that used to accompany every pack of baseball cards (long before collectors scoffed at the practice for reducing its value). We can thank the Mayans who took the gum or sap from the sapote tree and turned it into a substance to chew and enjoy. I’m not sure if they really bubbled with it or not …
8. Chocolate / Cocoa. Many of us, especially women, have a very personal relationship with chocolate. Can you imagine Valentine’s Day or Easter without it? It was the Mayan love story with chocolate and cocoa in general, four millennia ago, that made this the gift of choice. Yes, they even made a warm, frothy drink out of it!
9. Cotton. This has long been attributed to the large cotton plantations of the southern United States. However, it was once again the expert cultivation of the wild cotton plant that made it the most valuable and productive plant fiber in the world. It also makes the clothes very soft and breathable.
10. Tobacco. Smoking cigarettes and cigars, along with the secondhand smoke they produce, can be taboo in recent years due to the adverse health conditions they can cause. That said, it is impossible not to recognize how all civilizations have been touched by tobacco, from the peace pipes of Native Americans to the Marlboro Man. Once again, the Mayan cultivation of Nicotiana paved the way for a vice that has been enjoyed by all the civilizations that followed.
This only scratches the surface of all the stupendous research that James O’Kon applied to this text. A fun and interesting read. More importantly, you can feel O’Kon’s enthusiasm for the topic in every paragraph and that also elevates him well above your average textbook.