Did Pulses of Climate Change Drive the Rise and Fall of the Maya?
Heather Pringle Archaeologists have long puzzled over what fueled the
ascent and downfall of the Maya civilization and wheether climate played
a starring role, a bit part, or was offstage altogether at key turning
points in Maya history. Now, an international research team has produced
the best climate record yet of Maya times: a subannual reconstruction of
rainfall in the Maya heartland that extends back 2000 years. Comparing
this reconstruction to records of major Maya building episodes and
warfare, they conclude that an extended period of generous rainfall
helped spur the growth and proliferation of Maya city-states, and a
prolonged dry period played a key part in their collapse. But many
archaeologists remain reluctant to adopt climate as the chief driver of
Maya society. http://app.aaas-science.org/e/er?s=1906&lid=23617&elq=670ed7c483c8430ea7a96e3f6d3650a6 |