By: Daniel Nardini
Here we go again. I have heard this argument too many times to consider it. According to some archeologists, the Classical Mayan civilization was doomed to possible climate change. According to this pet theory, the climate during the 10th Century of the Christian calendar grew dryer. Because of this crops failed and this led to widespread revolts that brought down the ruling classes. I seriously doubt that. Other archeologists have noted dry seasons long before the 10th Century A.D. in the Americas, and this had little to no effect on the Mayans. Why should this one have such a tremendous impact?
We have to keep in mind that the Mayans were expert agriculturalists. Through centuries of experience, the Mayans had been through many dry seasons—some prolonged for years. What many of the Mayan city states did was develop a very advanced irrigation system that relied on underground water to keep their crops alive. Sometimes this did not work too well either, but normally the Mayans also had a very developed trade system where fresh water could be brought in from far away. We know this by the fact that many items that could not have been found within the areas of the Mayan city states were brought in from hundreds, even a few thousand miles away on trade routes that extended well into what is now the United States. The Mayans were expert artists, expert traders, expert architects (you can be sure they made sure fresh water was available), and yes expert warriors.
The last part is important to remember. Like the ancient Greek city states, the Mayans were divided into city-state entities. For thousands of years, the Mayans were at war with themselves as well as non-Mayan peoples. Within the last 60 years, archeologists have uncovered many things to show that the Mayans were continually at war with themselves. Archeologists have found remains of walls that once surrounded their cities. Archeologists have found sophisticated weaponry used in warfare. And archeologists have found rows of sliced up body remains that suggest these people did not die naturally, but were the victims of war. I am not suggesting that the Classic Mayan civilization collapsed because of total war, but I believe that there is more than one reason why the Classic Mayan period came to an end. It may have been because of civil war, it may have been because of foreign invasion, and it may have been the result of a plague. We know what happened to the ancient Greeks. They had unleashed such destructive civil wars upon themselves for so long that they could not stop foreign invaders such as the Macedonians and then later the Romans. Unlike the ancient Greeks, we can only speculate what eventually did in the Classic Mayan civilization.
Doomed by Bad Weather?
By: Daniel Nardini
We have to keep in mind that the Mayans were expert agriculturalists. Through centuries of experience, the Mayans had been through many dry seasons—some prolonged for years. What many of the Mayan city states did was develop a very advanced irrigation system that relied on underground water to keep their crops alive. Sometimes this did not work too well either, but normally the Mayans also had a very developed trade system where fresh water could be brought in from far away. We know this by the fact that many items that could not have been found within the areas of the Mayan city states were brought in from hundreds, even a few thousand miles away on trade routes that extended well into what is now the United States. The Mayans were expert artists, expert traders, expert architects (you can be sure they made sure fresh water was available), and yes expert warriors.
The last part is important to remember. Like the ancient Greek city states, the Mayans were divided into city-state entities. For thousands of years, the Mayans were at war with themselves as well as non-Mayan peoples. Within the last 60 years, archeologists have uncovered many things to show that the Mayans were continually at war with themselves. Archeologists have found remains of walls that once surrounded their cities. Archeologists have found sophisticated weaponry used in warfare. And archeologists have found rows of sliced up body remains that suggest these people did not die naturally, but were the victims of war. I am not suggesting that the Classic Mayan civilization collapsed because of total war, but I believe that there is more than one reason why the Classic Mayan period came to an end. It may have been because of civil war, it may have been because of foreign invasion, and it may have been the result of a plague. We know what happened to the ancient Greeks. They had unleashed such destructive civil wars upon themselves for so long that they could not stop foreign invaders such as the Macedonians and then later the Romans. Unlike the ancient Greeks, we can only speculate what eventually did in the Classic Mayan civilization.