>I've been in a discussion with the historical food group, lately, about
>supposed Aztec beekeeping.  I have pointed out that Apis mellifera was
>an introduction from the Old World, and the progress of feral and kept bee
>colonies is pretty well tracked, not making serious inroads on North America
>until the mid-19th century.  Hence, the supposed Aztec beekeeping and
>consumption of "honey" was highly suspect, and probably a misinterpretation.
>
>However, the proponent of Aztec beekeeping is insistant.   I have allowed
>that they might have been exploiting some other bee or related insect for
>wild honey in some form, since I am familiar with honey ants. Therefore, I
>figure I'll put it out to the list.  I told her I'd send her a summary of
>opinions.
>
>Jane B.
 
The Aztecs and the Mayans were in fact top notch beekeepers...of stingless
bees, meliponas.  Honey was produced for religious and medicinal purposes
in hollow logs (by "priests") and there is a great deal of literature on
the subject, much in Spanish.  Although I do not have any citations on
hand, I know that Eva Crane mentions it in her books (IBRA) and I believe
that there was an article on stingless beekeeping in Mexico in Bee World in
the late 1980s.  Keeping stingless bees still continues  among the
decendents of the Maya in southern Mexico.
 
Jonathan Dain - University of Florida - [log in to unmask]