The Mayan Civilization

The Mayan Civilization

Theories on the disappearance of the Mayan Civilization

The Maya Civilization possessed one of the strongest cultures in the south and central Americas. This civilization thrived during ancient ages before foreign invasion of the Maya region. The Maya people were known for their expertise in agriculture, astronomy, art, and architecture among other influential disciplines. However, the Maya civilization suddenly collapsed and no one really knows what caused the decline of the Maya. However, many scholars have come up with a combination of theories that explain why the Maya culture collapsed.

Demarest (2004) suggests the warfare theory which states that there was a conflict among the Maya themselves which eventually led to their fall. The Maya region had many city states which thrived economically and culturally. Some of these cities include Dos Pilas, Tikal & Copan (Fretland, 2012). From time to time, these cities went to war with each other. These wars had a negative effect on the economy as they destroyed economic resources which were hard to recover.

Secondly, Fretland (2012) advocates the environmental change theory. According to this theory, the Maya depended hugely on agriculture, hunting, and fishing. As time went by, the population expanded and many Mayans were forced to clear forests and drain water for settlement. This negatively affected the climate leading to drought and famine which led to deaths and migration of many Mayans from their traditional homes.

Thirdly, Fretland (2012) maintains that the Maya civilization collapsed as a result of foreign invasion. This theory explains that foreign nations invaded the Maya region eventually leading to deaths of many Mayan people. Some of these people were made subjects of the superior invaders while others moved away leaving their endowed cultures behind.

Dominant Theory on the disappearance of the Mayan Civilization

The theory of foreign invasion best explains why...