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Do you have a rabbit hole entry point for the downfall of the Mayan civilization, specifically the climate factors? It's a civilization and series of events I
by mulmen 3y ago
Do you have a rabbit hole entry point for the downfall of the Mayan civilization, specifically the climate factors? It's a civilization and series of events I know little about but is fascinating.
- npunt 3y agoFall of Civilizations podcast is good https://fallofcivilizationspodcast.com https://fallofcivilizationspodcast.com
- photonerd 3y agoThe Maya civilization was mostly destroyed by the Spanish conquest. That’s the level of existential threat climate poses to use.
- throwaway72762 3y agoSpanish conquest was centuries after the collapse of lowland Mayan civilization.
- photonerd 3y agoThe end of the Classic period? Sure. The 200 year drought did not help by reducing agricultural capacity and the political upheaval tanked any ability to adapt of much of the cities. But it was the resulting warfare from all that that really fucked then up. But post-classical Mayan civilization was still healthy and large in scale. Just not the same kind of thing. It would be a mistake to say their civilization ended then. It simply changed. The Spanish killed it though. Killed it so systematically it became myth for centuries
- mulmen 3y agoHm, I don't see the similarity then. The Spanish were deliberate and malicious. Climate change is a consequence of our own actions, although the accounting needs work.
- photonerd 3y agoNot a direct comparison, more a comparable level of existential threat.
- throwaway72762 3y agoOne summary/review article among many: https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/10.1146/annurev-earth-060115-012512 https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/10.1146/annurev-earth-0601... Basically political and economic dysfunction combined with drought and soil degradation over a couple centuries.
- cheshire137 3y agoI love the Fall of Civilizations podcast. Here's their episode on the Mayans: https://youtu.be/SnFaRXeep5Y https://youtu.be/SnFaRXeep5Y