The collapse of the Maya civilization was caused by environmental degradation and drought
the verdict
SUPPORTED
the evidence backs this
confidence 82/100
Multiple scientific and archaeological studies support the conclusion that environmental degradation and severe droughts were primary contributors to the collapse and transformation of the Classic Maya civilization.
Evidence for · 4
Conceptualizing socio-hydrological drought processes: The case of the Maya collapse.
2016 · cited by 13
Simulations demonstrate that modest drought periods played a major role in the society's collapse, potentially leading to an 80% population drop.
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More for · 3
Harmful algal blooms and cyanotoxins in Lake Amatitlán, Guatemala, coincided with ancient Maya occupation in the watershed.
2021 · cited by 12
Data show that human-induced deforestation, soil erosion, and intense periodic droughts created significant environmental stressors for the ancient Maya.
Northeast Yucatan hurricane activity during the Maya Classic and Postclassic periods.
2022 · cited by 6
Sediment records indicate that persistent environmental stressors, such as multi-decadal droughts and hurricane activity, coincided with the Maya Terminal Classic decline.
Collapse and Resilience
2023 · cited by 0
Intense droughts lasting from three to twenty-plus years in the ninth and tenth centuries are widely accepted to have contributed to the destabilization of the Classic Maya order.