Ancient Mayan Beekeeping

Usually, when we think of beekeeping, it is a person with a heavy suit, smoker, hive of honeybees, and possibly some stinging involved. Whereas, in the Old and New Mayan world, beekeeping is a cultural, friendly pastime. And the most surprising aspect of their pastime is it has to do with a piece of logwood and stingless bees, referred to the Xuxan-Kab . Residents don’t have to worry about any stinging due to the ancient technology still being used to this day. Dive in further to discover traditional bee history cherished from hundreds of years ago.

Origin

The Late Preclassic is the earliest time that archaeologists knew there were beekeepers among the ancient Maya. A possibility to its origin region is a smaller area that included a part of Guatemala, Mexico, and Belize. Some also argue that the first Maya keepers of stingless bees came from the Yucatan Peninsula.

The Maya kept at least one kind of stingless bee, these kinds of bees being species that cannot sting. The particular species that we know the ancient Maya kept was classified under the Melipona beecheii species, called the Xunan-Kab in the Yucatec Maya language. They are great for pollinating crops like vanilla, but cannot compare to the effectiveness of any other bee under the Genus species.

Hives

Unlike a bee box, the ancient Maya kept their bees in hives that were hollowed-out logs. There are some instances where they used other resources, such as limestone — with the sides plugged up and with a hole on one long side serving as an entrance/exit. Furthermore, archaeologists have discovered disks made of stone that they think were plugs for hives’ short sides during the Postclassic, Preclassic, and Classic Periods.

Religion and Traditions

Artifacts like incense burners in the shapes of beehives, and images of their bee god (Ah Mucen Cab), have been found on walls of temples at Sayil and other Maya sites. Although, archaeologist seems to think that there is more than one bee god.

The Maya domesticated the stingless bee from which they obtained honey and wax, both products used in the religious ceremonies . The wax was used for the production of candles. The sweetener was mainly used for the production of Balché, a sacred wine accustomed by the Yucatec Maya.

The Madrid Codex is one of the few surviving books of the ancient Maya, and within its pages, male and female deities are harvesting and collecting honey. 

“Honey was probably among the most popular products exchanged and traded by the pre-Columbian Maya,” says archaeologist Jaroslaw Zralka. “So beekeeping was a very important activity in their daily life, as well as in religious activities.”

  Zradlka and his archaeological team found evidence of early Maya beekeepers located in the ancient city of Nakum, when discovering nine unbaked clay heads arranged in a circle. They theorize that it symbolizes important gods which encourage the ancient beekeeping tradition.

Products

As we use honey for our recipes, medical needs, and enjoyment, so did the ancient Mayas. Unlike from honeybees, this honey is a thinner texture and is also darker, while the flavor is slightly different. None of the honey products went wasted in the Maya culture, so they incorporated it in their daily lives.

The different characteristic of the honey is why the wax can act as a source of lighter fluid, in which they used for torches. Not to add, it was used in their cooking, like for their famous chocolate shakes. The Xuxan-Kab honey contains hydrogen peroxide which kills bacteria, similar to that of a honeybee. The ancient Mayas relied heavily on it for medical use.

But mainly, since they were highly devoted to their gods, honey was utilized for religious purposes. It was a ritual drink that consisted of fermented honey, bark, and water as an offering to the gods.

Mayan Ancient Beekeeping Today

The regions of the Indigenous Yucatec and Chol in the Yucatan peninsula still practice beekeeping today on connected lands, while using modified traditional techniques.

Beekeepers keep bees in a hollow tree section called jobón, with the two ends closed by a stone or ceramic plug and a central hole through which bees can enter. The honey and wax will be collected various times annually when removing the end plugs or panuchos.

Nevertheless, because of the introduction to the more efficient European honeybee and extreme environmental risks, stingless beekeeping has been severely reduced. Most of the bees farmed today are European honeybees, especially in Mexico, the 6th largest honey producer in the world. For decades, communities have been straying away from stingless bee farming.

Beekeepers using this bee in the Quintana Roo state, Mexico, recorded 93% losses in their hives during the quarter-past century.

Fortunately, today there is encouraging interest and support from indigenous farmers. These common folks are beginning to save the dying practice and the endangered species.