Last Tuesday morning, I had only intended to tidy up the pantry at home. You know that feeling? You pull out a bunch of expired canned goods, moldy spices, and dry goods you bought ages ago but never ate. Just as I was finishing up, I found a bag of beans tucked away in the back of the cabinet.
The bag was a bit worn, labeled “Anasazi Beans.” The name sounded unique, almost ancient. I had no memory of buying them or whether they were still edible. But what intrigued me more was: What kind of beans were these? Were they really connected to ancient people?
Searching online, only to be disappointed
I brewed a cup of coffee, sat down at my computer, and typed “history of Anasazi beans” directly into the search bar. I figured I’d quickly find its origins, when it was first cultivated, and who first ate it.
But the results were pretty disappointing. The first few pages were either recipes for stewing beans or lists of where to buy them. Many sites simply stated: “This is an ancient bean used by the Anasazi!” — but that’s exactly what the name tells us! What I wanted to know was: When did they start growing it? Why did it fade from mention later? Is it still cultivated today?
I tried adding keywords like “origin,” “timeline,” and “historical accounts,” and finally started finding useful information. Some came from archaeologists’ blogs, others from seed savers sharing on forums. The details were scattered, but bit by bit, I pieced together this story.
This Bean Has Actually Existed for a Very Long Time
According to the materials I discovered, the history of this bean goes back much further than we imagined. Over 1,300 years ago—long before Europeans arrived in the Americas—some indigenous peoples in the southwestern United States were already cultivating this bean.
These people weren’t what we now call the “Anasazi”—that term isn’t entirely accurate. More precisely, they were the “Ancient Pueblanos,” inhabiting the region where modern-day Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado meet. They built their homes from stone and mud, some even constructed on cliff edges like the Mesa Verde area.
These people primarily lived off the land, cultivating three main crops: corn, squash, and beans. Archaeologists frequently uncover dried beans in pottery vessels or underground storage pits when excavating these ancient sites. This indicates how vital beans were to them—providing sustenance, easy preservation, and essential protein.
The People Left, but the Beans Remained
Around 1300 AD, a major event occurred: the indigenous peoples living in the Northwest began to gradually relocate. The reasons remain unclear to this day—possibly due to drier weather making farming impossible, or perhaps insufficient resources forcing them to leave.
Many assume that as these people moved away, their crops were lost. But that’s not the case.I found records indicating that some groups migrated south, such as the Hopi and certain Pueblo tribes. They carried their seeds with them, including this particular bean variety.
In other words, although the original communities vanished, the beans were cultivated and consumed by new groups, passed down through generations. Without these people’s persistence in preserving the old seeds, this bean might truly have disappeared from history.
Newcomers Arrived, and Old Varieties Nearly Vanished
By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, increasing numbers of European-descended Americans settled in the region. They brought their own farming methods, cultivating common market varieties like navy beans and black beans.
In contrast, these old-fashioned small flower beans seemed unremarkable and didn’t always yield high harvests, gradually falling out of favor.Many farmers switched to the new varieties, while only a few Native Americans continued to grow small quantities secretly in their home gardens. These beans were nearly forgotten, surviving only in remote reservations.
Had they been discovered just a few decades later, they might have vanished forever.
An Archaeological Discovery Changes Their Fate
The real turning point came in the 1980s. A team of archaeologists excavating in the Four Corners region—where four U.S. states meet—discovered a sealed clay jar in an ancient underground storage pit.
Upon opening it, they found beans inside! Despite being stored for centuries, tests revealed these beans could still germinate. Scientists planted them, and new plants actually grew.
This discovery was monumental. It proved these beans possessed remarkable vitality and pure genetics, untouched by modern varieties. Later, a farmer named Ernie Newcomb and his wife began large-scale cultivation of these revived beans near a small town in Colorado.
To help people remember the name, they gave it a catchy moniker: “Anasazi beans.”Though not entirely accurate, the name was memorable and evocative of history, quickly gaining traction.
Why does this story resonate with me?
Honestly, researching this was exhausting. No single webpage clearly told the whole story. I had to piece together clues from various sources, like assembling a puzzle.
But this process taught me something: many things we consider “lost” aren’t truly gone. They’re just overlooked, tucked away in some corner, waiting for someone willing to discover them.
This bean survived climate shifts, population migrations, and agricultural reforms, narrowly avoiding extinction. Yet through the persistence of a few individuals and a serendipitous archaeological find, it returned to the public eye. Now you can even buy it at supermarkets or online.
I haven’t finished yet: What happened to that bag of beans?
After all this, you might ask: Did you finally cook that bag of beans you found?
Ha, not yet. It’s still sitting in my kitchen cabinet. It’s not that I don’t want to cook it—I just feel that knowing its complicated story makes me reluctant to eat it right away.
Maybe next week I’ll toss them into a stew. Will they taste special? I don’t know. But they represent more than just food—they embody a living history.
Key Moments in the Anasazi Bean’s Journey
- Over 1300 years ago: Native Americans began cultivating these beans, making them a staple in their daily diet.
- Around 1300 AD: Though some populations migrated, the beans were preserved by other tribes.
- Late 19th to early 20th century: Nearly eliminated by the onslaught of modern agriculture.
- 1980s: Archaeological discoveries showed ancient beans could still sprout, sparking a revival in cultivation.
- Today: This bean has re-entered the market as a culturally significant food.
Sometimes, a humble bag of beans can tell a grand story of survival, memory, and heritage. Next time you see it at the supermarket, perhaps give it a second look—it’s not just beans, but a witness to history.
