Which product was highly valued and traded by the Aztecs?

The product that was highly valued and traded by the Aztecs was chocolate, specifically in the form of beverages made from cacao. Cacao beans were so significant that they served as a form of currency in some instances, allowing for trade and commerce. The Aztecs not only used cacao to make a frothy, bitter drink often flavored with spices and served to nobility, but they also believed it had divine connections, being associated with Quetzalcoatl, the feathered serpent god. The popularity and cultural importance of cacao underscore its value in Aztec society.

In contrast, leather goods, while useful and traded within Mesoamerican cultures, did not hold the same cultural reverence or economic utility as cacao. Spices from Asia were not commonly traded in Mesoamerica since the major spice routes did not reach Central Mexico during the Aztec Empire’s peak. Salt had its importance, especially in certain regions, but it was not as highly prized or widely traded as cacao beans, which were integral to Aztec social and economic structures.