Archeological evidence of hot sauce-making dates back thousands of years. Early iterations were very simple, but these spicy sauces weren't used to add spice to your food.

Hot sauce originated in modern-day Mexico and Bolivia, where early Mesoamerican societies paved the way for spice by domesticating chili peppers in the region.

Hot sauce appears to have been made by the Maya and Aztecs, as they believed chili peppers had medicinal properties, treating ailments like stomach aches, rashes, and toothaches. 

Beyond medicine, the earliest versions of hot sauce were even used in weaponry, harnessing their mighty burn for sadistic purposes.

However, hot sauce did factor into Mesoamerican cuisine, often accompanying masa tortillas. The original hot sauces were very basic, as they were made from chilis and water.

The peppers Mesoamericans used were usually ground into a paste, and herbs might have been thrown in the mix as well.