How could a civilization like the Egyptians, the Phoenicians, the Africans and the Maya just seemingly disappear. For sure, the people didn’t, they certainly evolved and mixed with other groups, but the great astronomy, the mathematics, the trade, and the kings it blows minds! For the purpose of this essay the Maya decline will be discussed.
There are two broad-based theories tied to the ancient Maya decline. Those are based on internal factors and the other, based on external factors.
The External Factors
Some scholars originally suggested that there was foreign invasion from the West, the Putun area – on the Western neck of the Yucatan (on the map below, the area closest to the sea in Campeche).
The Putun Maya you see were great sea traders and raiders. As per the usual everywhere in the world, the traders were bilingual and so were the Putun. Some scholars suggested that the Putun invaded the Central Maya Lowlands. Their fine orange pottery was found in every part of the central lowlands, seemingly adding to idea that these Western people would have invaded. However, scholars later recognised that the pottery was based on trade, not take-over.
What could have happened to the central Maya lowlands was a dramatic change in the trade routes that would have had devastating effects on the Maya inland if the trade moved to a strict sea route. Imagine not getting the necessary salt from the coast and you would live at Caracol.
The second broad theory is that of internal factors. The list below suggests what internal factors could have been the reason or reasons the Central Maya Lowlands declined and eventually collapsed.
Internal Factors
- Natural catastrophes: such as hurricanes, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions (it must be noted that volcanic eruptions were more based in the highlands). Diseases such as yellow fever and other epidemics caused by overpopulations and poor nutrient ingestion could have been a factor for the decline. Certainly it affects countries and regions throughout the world today.
- Social upheaval – or in the language of today – “Central Lowland Spring”. The people rose up against the elite and demanded change and when that change didn’t come they lost their patience and destroyed almost everything that was reflective of the elite.
- Warfare: A great story comes out of Dos Pilas a city-state in Peten Guatemala where evidence has been found of violence that occurred in the ancient city of Tikaland Dos Pilas became the new city refuge of the royalty from Tikal. This warfare was happening throughout the ancient Maya world.
- Ecological problems: can be caused by many things. A. Methods of exploitation (of resources), B. High Population, C. Inability to produce enough of basic health and nutrition requirements, D. Climate change (Yes! It was changing drastically then too!)
Many of the reasons mentioned above on their own could not convince researchers, scientists and anthropologists caused the utter abandonment of the entire Central Maya Lowland cities. There is just not enough evidence to singularly commit to one factor. However, imagine all the factors coming together in the pressure of a tsunami on the sustainable pillars (economic, social, political and environmental) of these people what mighty devastation this would have been – even for today’s societies.
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