Montegrande, also known as Huaca Montegrande, is a key archaeological site located in the high Amazonian jungle of Jaen province, within the Cajamarca region, in Perú. The site, a 14-year ongoing archaeological dig and anthropological study, is Peru’s oldest temple site, offering insight into an advanced Peruvian society in the Amazon in pre-Columbian America.
In Montegrande, the oldest known traces of beverages made from Theobroma cacao have been discovered inside the temple with cacao remnants that carbon date back 6,000 years, making it the oldest known origin of cacao on the planet today, older than the pyramids of Egypt and Mesopotamia, they're holding a key to understanding human’s earliest spiritual connection to cacao. The study is rewriting history, revealing an entire civilisation previously unknown.
The Marañon civilisation, as discovered, thrived as an advanced society 3,000 years before the Inca and Nazca cultures. Evidence of spirituality, agriculture, architecture, a cosmovision, art and rich culture was found inside the temple. Huaca Montegrande was the spiritual center of worship for the Marañon society. What did they venerate? CACAO. The artifacts in the temple all have a cacao motif - pottery, stone sculptures, jewelry & bone carvings.
Genetic testing has confirmed that the cacao found inside of the temple is the same exact variety as the ancient cacao trees still growing above ground today. These trees are a living link between the past and present, and it's our responsibility to protect them.
Peru’s oldest temple, and the origin of cacao, are in crisis and need the support of the cacao community
The Montegrande archaeological site, one of Peru's most significant historical locations & the origin of the world’s oldest known traces of domesticated cacao, is at immediate risk of closure due to lack of funding.
The Living Cacao Temple
The huaca Montegrande was crafted in the shape of a women giving birth, with the womb represented as a spiral. The spiral also is a representation of the Amaru (serpent) and the realm of the Ukhu Pacha (underworld) that is our connection to ancestors. The direction of the spiral is also important as it’s shape is constructed anti-clockwise which is believed to be a representation of a backwards movement through time, depicting the concept not of birth but of re-birth. In the centre of the spiral was found a grave of a person, buried with vessels containing cacao. From this we can understand cacao is centripetal to the process of re-birth and the spiral acts as a portal into the next life for the Chinchipe people. More research is required to fully understand the messages contained within the temple site and it's artefacts, which is why it is essential we can continue the project and help support this incredible discovery into our ancient civilisations.
Protect the Ancient Roots of Cacao
Led by archeologist Dr. Quirino Olivera, the Peruvian nonprofit ASICAMPE is dedicated to preserving this invaluable heritage.
However, the Huaca Montegrande project is currently facing a critical funding crisis that threatens to halt this essential work.
Just as its surrounding Amazon rainforest requires protection, so does the Huaca Montegrande. Our site is a living temple for life, where science, nature and spirituality intersect. With your support, we commit to continue studying, restoring and preserving Huaca Montegrande’s present ecological and cultural landscape.
If the excavations cease and the site closes, the opportunity to learn from Montegrande’s ancient relics and continued findings may be lost forever. Per Peruvian law, to protect national patrimony, the site would need to be re-buried. Despite the site's national significance, international academic accolades, and the documentary spotlight, the archaeology team has faced severe financial constraints, putting the continuation of their work in jeopardy.
In response to this crisis, ASICAMPE has partnered with the 501c3 Abundant Earth Foundation to launch an urgent fundraising campaign. Our goal is to raise $50,000 USD to keep the excavation ongoing and preserve the priceless cultural heritage of Montegrande and its future recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Donations can be made directly through the Abundant Earth Foundation's website. Every contribution, no matter how small, will play a critical role in preserving this ancient site.
“We are on the brink of losing a crucial piece of our shared history,” says Dr. Quirino Olivera, head archaeologist. “With the support of the global community, we can ensure that the story of Montegrande continues to be told.
Preserving a World Heritage
Your generous contributions will:
- Keep Huaca Montegrande open to protect cultural heritage
- Fund ongoing excavations and research
- Preserve ancient artifacts for future generations
- Foster alliances with local farmers and communities who steward Montegrande’s ancient cacao tree varieties
- Empower cultural renewal of local indigenous Awajún communities
- Boost the local economy through cultural heritage education and ethical cacao tourism
A Future Monument for the World
Dr. Quirino Olivera Nunez, and Director of ASICAMPE, envisions Montegrande becoming a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where visitors can immerse themselves in the profound cultural legacy of the ancient Amazonian people, exploring their cosmovision and the significance of cacao in their spiritual and communal life.
With the necessary funding, Huaca Montegrande can evolve into a living monument for future generations, providing a space for reflection, education, and the preservation of both cultural heritage and the ecological landscape that surrounds it.
Cacao, central to this story is a vital bridge of cultural continuity. It fuels a global industry today that is disconnected from millennia-old traditions, embodying the spiritual, agricultural, and communal heritage of the indigenous peoples who first cultivated and venerated this sacred plant.
Deepening Links & Research
PBS-NOVA Documentary - The global importance of Huaca Montegrande has already been highlighted in a NOVA documentary produced by PBS, a public television network in the United States. This documentary has brought international attention to the site, emphasizing the need to preserve this ancient legacy. The film has allowed global audiences to appreciate the rich and unprecedented history of Montegrande, further underscoring the urgency of ongoing excavation and research efforts.
Science News Research March 2024 - A revisited history of cacao domestication in pre-Columbian times revealed by archaeogenomic approaches - In this study, ceramic residues from a large sample of pre-Columbian cultures from South and Central America were analyzed using archaeogenomic and biochemical approaches. Here we show, for the first time, the widespread use of cacao in South America out of its native Amazonian area of origin, extending back 5000 years, likely supported by cultural interactions between the Amazon and the Pacific coast. We observed that strong genetic mixing between geographically distant ... continue reading
Dr. Olivera was interviewed a few days ago on a news program in Europe (in Spanish)
El arqueólogo peruano Quirino Olivera participa en el Salon du Chocolat de París que está teniendo lugar en París por haber descubierto vestigios de cacao en un monumento funerario de más de cinco mil años en la Amazonía peruana.
Montegrande: Ancient Amazonian Temple Reveals World's First Cacao Cultivation - In this episode, host Jack Eidt delves into the groundbreaking archaeological discoveries at the Huaca Montegrande site in the Peruvian Amazon with guest Karen Gordon, an associate at ASICAMPE. They explore the ancient Marañon culture, their sophisticated agroforestry practices, and the origins of cacao, the plant responsible for the world’s chocolate. Traces of cacao have been found in 6,000-year-old ceremonial pottery vessels from what is now recognized as the oldest monumental temple site in Peru. Tune in to learn how these findings are rewriting the history... Listen on Spotify
Archeologist Quirino Olivero talks about the discovery of cacao at the worlds oldest cacao temple - Dr. Quirino Olivera is the archaeologist who discovered the temple that has rewritten the history of the origin of cocao and the Peruvian Andean civilization. The temple of Monte Grande in northern Peru is the oldest of its kind in the world and the centre of where cacao culture began. Some 7500 years ago the Chinchipe people who built this temple used cacao in ceremony to honor their gods and for spiritual practice. This is believed to be the birthplace of cacao domestication and spiritual practice.
Awajun ceremonial cacao preparation - Peru - Asuela is a holder of ancestral cacao preparation wisdom and knowledge. She shared with us her cosmovision of cacao and the ceremonial way in which she prepares it. Descended from the Chinchipe tribes of Northern Peru, they have worked with cacao as a spiritual tool for over 7500 years
Saving Peru's Ancient Cacao Temple, Huaca Montegrande, the Time is Now, with Karen Gordon
Worldwide Domesticated Cacao Timeline
