Researchers discover cause of ancient Maya's collapse, alarming like a warning

– Mayapan, the capital of culture and politics for the Maya people of the Yucatán Peninsula, may have been undone by drought during the 13th and 14th century CE.

– Drought would have led to civil conflict, which would have caused political collapse and forced people to retreat to smaller settlement

– Civil conflict increased significantly and strife in the city was correlated with drought conditions between 1400 and 1450 CE

– The lack of water would have affected agricultural practices and trade routes, putting strain on the people of Mayapan

– Many of the remains in the final mass grave probably belonged to the family members of the heads of state, indicating a bloody end brought on by competing factions and social unrest

– Maya culture continued to thrive after Mayapan's fall due to a "resilient system of human-environmental adaptations"

– Archaeological and historical records are essential for studying correlations between social change and fluctuating climate conditions.

Read FULL ARTICLE

Read FULL ARTICLE

Open Hands