Ancient Americans got their caffeine fix from hundreds of miles away

The Associated Press

More than 1,000 years before Starbucks, caffeine was an international market mover, with ancient civilizations trading holly and cacao-based chocolate beverages between what is now modern-day Mexico, the Southwest and the South, according to a new study.

Led by University of New Mexico anthropology professor Patricia Crown, the study says the trade lasted for around 700 years, likely driven by a pre-Hispanic caffeine addiction. The discovery suggests a trade as lively as the centuries-old Silk Road commerce that moved cinnamon, cloves and tea between East and West.