Behind the fall of the Maya empire

The cities of the ancient Mayan empire developed extremely flourishing in southern Mexico and north of Central America for about 6 centuries. Then, around 900 AD, Maya civilization collapsed.

Two recent studies investigated the reasons for the breakdown of Maya culture that concluded that the Mayans themselves contributed to this decline.

By modeling weather models, scientists found that drought played a major role, but the Mayans seem to have exacerbated the problem by cutting down the forest to build the city and watch the land. harvest.

'We are not saying that deforestation is the whole cause of drought, but that is a significant reason for the drought here ,' said Benjamin Cook, a scientist who studies climate models. Columbia University and the team leader, said.

By simulating weather patterns, Mr. Cook and his colleagues looked at how the transition from forest to food crops, like corn, changes climate. The results show that when deforestation reaches its maximum, it can contribute up to 60% of drought. The shift from forest to maize reduces the amount of water transferred from the soil to the atmosphere - affecting rainfall.

Temple in Tikal, one of the main Mayan states.(Source: Livescience)

'Maya's fall and abandonment in the Yucatán Peninsula is a result of a complex human-environmental correlation ,' the study published in the journal PNAoS on August 20.

The destruction of the Mayan forests seriously exacerbated the drought, which happened at the time of the destruction of the empire and the population decline.

In addition, the topographic change here also causes soil erosion. Some archaeological evidence suggests that the area is under great pressure, for example, the Siamese rosewood - often used to make wood for girder construction - is no longer grown in the Tikal and Calakmul locations until 741 million .CN. Large mammals such as white-tailed deer also drastically declined in the Mayan period.

Political and social factors contribute to the decline. Trade routes are transferred from the road through the Yucatán Peninsula to shipping by ship. This change weakens cities, combined with environmental challenges, resulting in many conflicts in society.

The old political and economic structure weakened, so the peasantry and craftsmen and other sectors left their homes and cities to look for new economic opportunities elsewhere, leaving cities desolate and depressed.