ABANDONMENT OF THE MAYAN CITIES: CAUSES OF THE MAYAN COLLAPSE - HISTORY - 2024

The abandonment of the Mayan cities is one of the enigmas that researchers consider the most, and the one they constantly inquire about the most. Some of the most probable causes are related to a major change in the political order and the deterioration of the environment, among others.

For three thousand years, the Mayan civilization dominated large territories in Central America, building important cities, accumulating wealth, building large-scale religious monuments, strengthening its economy, diversifying agricultural production, and constituting very sophisticated political powers and social systems.

Among the most accepted reasons for the collapse of the Mayan cities are political changes, increased health problems and the appearance of epidemics. Source: tato grasso

Archaeologists and anthropologists have deeply studied the characteristics of the Maya to try to explain the reasons that prompted them to abandon the cities they inhabited. Among the possible determining elements are its culture, its dynamics and other elements such as climate, wars, diseases and natural disasters.

Approximately in 1000 a. C., the Mayan population reached about three million people, to later disappear almost completely leaving little evidence of its existence. When the Spaniards reached the abandoned cities, they burned the only traces (books and documents) that could explain the reason for their disappearance.

Even so, its vigorous culture left a legacy of works -especially architectural and some codices rescued by the missionaries- that have currently served as the basis for investigating this civilization and understanding both its evolution and its extinction.

Possible causes of the Mayan collapse

Different theories try to explain the multiple factors that triggered the abandonment of the Mayan cities. Some of these are inclined to climate, social and political changes, food shortages and ecological disruption.

The Mayans occupied much of the southern Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize. Cities like Copán went from having 25,000 inhabitants to 5,000 between 850 and 1100.

It is estimated that the transition between the decline and the decline of the Mayan civilization occurred during the postclassic period, between 900 and 1521 AD. C.

There was a process of militarization and social divisions that caused, among other events, the disappearance of rituals and ceremonies as elements of social cohesion.

Ecological factors

Different investigations show that one of the possible causes of the Mayan collapse was the deterioration of the environment, caused by the inhabitants themselves.

The felling of trees for the construction and preparation of land for crops considerably affected the ecosystem, causing changes in the climate and other natural elements.

Agrobusiness operation

The excessive increase in the population produced agricultural growth, since the crops had to be sufficient to satisfy the demand of the inhabitants. For this, the Mayans managed to have new suitable lands through enormous systems of channels to drain and irrigate the crops.

The large constructions based on stucco - a plaster made from the burning of limestone - produced the excessive exploitation of the valley and, with it, gigantic portions of land were deforested.

Over time, this population growth and its activities caused long periods of droughts, which were destroying crops and dramatically reducing the natural and food resources required to feed the workforce and the population in general.

It is said that these periods lasted decades and lasted to a greater or lesser extent for almost a century. According to research experts, this may have been one of the most important natural causes that reduced the Mayan civilization.

Natural disasters

Other hypotheses propose as causes of its disappearance the phenomena and natural disasters that have occurred throughout its evolution, such as earthquakes, landslides, floods and hurricanes.

Political factors

Between approximately 987 and 1007, an important change occurred in the political order: the so-called Liga de Mayapán (the triple alliance) was created. It was a confederation of three groups - the Cocomes of Mayapán, the Xiúes of Uxmal and the Itzáes of Champotón - that subdued and dominated the most fragile social groups.

After 200 years of rivalries and political struggles between the Itzá and the Cocomes, the latter were victors and maintained political domination for more than two and a half centuries.

New alliance

After the unsustainable tyranny of this centralized government, the Cocomes and the Xiu formed a new alliance. They put an end to the established political order, but this produced a significant destabilization in the political and social sphere.

This imbalance, spread over many centuries as a result of the wars between city-states, led to the breakdown of all traditional systems and destroyed the fundamental basis of Mayan society, which could result in their sudden disappearance.

During this debacle, rituals, ceremonies and other sacred elements were also abandoned. Chaos reigned, diluting all forms of social and religious organization, eroding all the social capacities necessary to reestablish new communities.

Social factors

Social dynamics were evolving as population growth was unstoppable. This excessive growth was gradually depleting and deteriorating the quantity and quality of resources, negatively impacting the health of the Mayans.

The weakening of the immune system allowed the appearance of epidemics and other diseases that increased the number of deaths. Individuals were easy victims of disease and exhaustion from heavy construction and land work.

Long periods of famine, misery, plagues and diseases began to plague the settlers and spread throughout the cities. This generated a massive exodus in different periods, as the inhabitants looked for better conditions to live.

Delinquency

Social degradation advanced rapidly, giving way to the destruction, theft and looting of buildings, the desecration of tombs to obtain precious stones and metals, and the spread of groups that took over the palaces, once they were left empty after the flight of the rulers who occupied them.

The Mayans abandoned the great constructions of monuments with elaborate inscriptions and gave way to the creation of huts. Even the squares were home to homeless people and criminals.

In 1517 the Spanish set sail for Central America with the intention of dominating the Mayan population; However, the inhabitants themselves, political power and nature had done their job of destroying them as a civilization.

References

1. De la Garza, Mercedes. "On the 'Collapse' in Lowland Mayan Cities". In Mexican Archeology. Retrieved on May 11, 2019 from Mexican Archeology: arqueologiamexicana.mx
2. "Mayan collapse" in Wikipedia. Retrieved on May 12, 2019 from Wikipedia: es.wikipedia.org
3. "What was the cause of the Mayans leaving their majestic cities?" on Matador Network. Retrieved on May 11, 2019 from Matador Network: matadornetwork.com
4. "Causes of the decline of the Mayans" in The Spectator. Retrieved on May 11, 2019 from The Spectator: elespectador.com
5. "The collapse of the Mayans was due to the mismanagement of their resources archaeologist argues" in Trends 21. Retrieved on May 12, 2019 from trends 21: trends21.net
6. What was it that really ended the Mayan civilization? on BBC News. Retrieved on May 12, 2019 from BBC News: bbc.com
7. "Why the Mayas disappeared" in Mayan Culture. Retrieved on May 12, 2019 from Cultura Maya: cultura maya.org