Mankind
Quarterly, Vol. 43, No. 1 (Fall 2002)
pp. 3-40
Aztec Cannibalism and Maize Consumption:
The Serotonin Deficiency Link.
Michele Ernandes, Rita Cedrini, Marco Giammanco and
Maurizio La Guardia
In 1977 Michael Harner suggested that the Aztecs
might have practiced cannibalism to obtain animal
proteins. A year later, Bernard R. Ortiz de Montellano
objected that the Aztecs could obtain all the required
aminoacids from vegetable sources, and that their
cannibalism was simply a thanksgiving ritual, because
its occurrence generally coincided the maize harvest.
But at about the same time other researchers showed
that maize consumption could provoke brain serotonin
deficiency, which, in turn, could provoke some neurobehavioral
after-effects, such as the tendency towards aggressive
behavior or religious/ideological fanaticism.
In this study we attempt to show that a maize diet
may cause serotonin deficiency and that this could
explain cannibalism and other peculiarities of Aztec
culture. The conclusions reached in this study are
consistent with past and recent evidence of cannibalism
among the Anasazi, a people that was similarly heavily
dependent on maize for their nourishment. More broadly,
our findings indicate a probable alimentary background
for aggressive or fanatical behavior in populations
heavily dependent on foods that can lower brain serotonin.
