Food Maize was as much women's work as the men's. Preparing the food took up much or the woman's day. Maize was the main food for workmen and peasants. It was used to make tortillas. These were flat unsweetened pancakes cooked on platters of clay or shaped as pipes which were used as spoons and then at the end of the meal were eaten. They also ate dumplings made of maize meal mixed to a consistency of paste and wrapped in leaves to keep moist. Mayas would either mix these with water and flavors, chillies, spices or if possible with meat. Tbe Mayas' favorite drink was chocolate. This was made from cocoa beans which were roasted, ground and mixed with maize flour. Chocolate or cocoa was an exceptionally favored hot drink of the Maya. Cacao beans were so highly prized that they were used as money.

The women of the family never ate with the men. They served the men first and ate their own meal later. Dinner consisted of corn meal pancakes, black beans-("buul" in the Mayan language). If hunting had been good, rabbit, deer or wild turkey was served.

Medicine The Maya felt that sickness was brought on by bad dwarfs. To keep these dwarfs from a house food was placed outside the door. If this didn't work , a medicine man, an ahmen was called. The man healed disease as well as caused them. Nose bleeds were cured by bleeding the patient's foot. Heating potions were brewed from extracts of plants, parts of animals, the bills of birds, pebbles and fish skins.