Climate change makes Tang Dynasty and Maya civilization collapse

According to an international study published in the journal Nature, the decline of Tang Dynasty, one of the most important dynasties in Chinese history, as well as the collapse of ancient Mayan civilization in Central America may as a result of monsoon changes that cause drought in Asia.

Shakyamuni Buddha statue carved from the Tang Dynasty in southwestern China (Photo: HTV)

The Chinese and American team led by Gerald Haug of the Earth Research Center at Postdam (Germany) noted that the collapse of the two civilizations coincided with the changes in the climate cycle that took place. from 700 to 900 AD.

Scientists claim that too low rainfall in Asia at that time caused crop damage, famine, and social disturbance, leading to the collapse of the dynasty. They also believe that changes in the tropical rain belt have affected the globe, explaining the sudden disappearance of the Mayan civilization (250-00) in southeastern Mexico and Guatemala today.

The team drew this conclusion from the analysis of sediments in Huguang Maar Lake in southeastern China. High magnetic and titanium content characteristics in these components allow speculation of a particular period of drought that raged China at that time.

The researchers noted that over the past 16,000 years, the country has experienced three similar climatic periods.