Aswell as being one the earliest consumers of chocolate, the Mayans are also known for their famous calendars – one of which is about to reach a dramatic milestone.

On Friday 21 December 2012, the Mayan Long Count will read 13.0.0.0.0 for the first time in 5,125 years, meaning the completion of 13 cycles & marking the creation of the human world. The earliest known Long Count was recorded in 32AD at Chiapa de Corzo in the Southern Mexican state of Chiapas, which was the one of first & largest settlements of Mesoamerica.

According to the Popol Vuh, the Mayan sacred book, the previous creation ends at the start of the 14 cycle or b’ak’tun, which some doom-mongers are interpreting as meaning the end of the world. However, many historians believe that Mayans simply saw the end of a cycle as a time for huge celebrations – celebrations which may have featured plenty of chocolate.