For as much as modern society worships chocolate, cacao -- the plant chocolate comes from -- was believed to be even more divine to ancient Mayas. The Maya considered cacao beans to be a gift from the gods and even used them as currency because of their value.
As such, cacao bean production was carefully controlled by the Maya leaders of northern Yucatan (Mexican state), with cacao trees only grown in sacred groves. But no modern researcher has ever been able to pinpoint where these ancient sacred groves were located -- until now.
