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Ecological Collapse!

mAYAN disappearance!

Why Did They Disappear?

Environmental and Societal Factors

for Decline!

(Not exactly known, but many theories)

  • Soil erosion due to slash-and-burn technique of agriculture
  • Deforestation
  • Siltation (pollution of water)
  • Decline of Biodiversity

Drought:

  • After 3000 years the Mayan Empire collapsed and seemed to disappear
  • The disappearance of the Mayans thought of as one of the ''biggest mysteries in archeology''
  • The decline started heavily in 900AD
  • Dynasty officially came to a close in 1200AD
  • possible 200 year severe drought from 800-1000 AD
  • relied on rainwater for main water source
  • rainfall reduced 25-40%
  • wouldn't been able to sustain on the limited resource for growing crops or personal use.
  • Environmental Disaster
  • Epidemic of disease
  • Peasant revolts
  • Overpopulation
  • Climate Change
  • Foreign invasion
  • Collapse of Trade Routes
  • Famine
  • Droughts

Overpopulation!

  • Overpopulation of Society= Depletion of resources
  • Could not produce enough food and water at fast enough rate to sustain

Mayan Technology!

Calendar

Agroforestry!

Writing:

  • 700 glyphs
  • documented history and achievements
  • Books made from bark

• Made of three calendars mixed together

Haab, Tzolkin, Long count

  • • Haab (Civil calendar)
  • 365 days: 18 months, 20 days each, and 5 extra days
  • • Tzolkin (Divine calendar)
  • 260 days: 20 periods of 13 days Determined time of religious and ceremonial events
  • • Long count (Universal cycle)
  • Tracks longer periods of time
  • 2,880,000 days (7885 years)
  • Believed universe was destroyed and recreated at the end of a long count

The Environment!

  • Recurring Drought
  • Rough, rocky terrain intermixed with vast swamps and wetlands
  • Water absorbed by limestone and ground
  • Lack of surface water
  • used to preserve rainforest
  • combined trees and shrubs with crops
  • cycled agricultural fields through successional stages (herbaceous, shrubs x2, forest x2)
  • kept biodiversity

The Mayan Empire!

Water Supply!

  • Classic Period- 250-900 AD
  • Peak Population of 2,000,000
  • Centered in one area of Mesoamerica
  • The Yucatan Peninsula
  • modern day Guatemala
  • Belize
  • Parts of Mexico
  • Western El Salvador and Honduras

  • Safe from other indigenous groups
  • Previously depended on natural springs
  • Unable to reach groundwater (500ft below surface)
  • Created gulches and paved them to prevent rainwater from being absorbed
  • Large cities built with slopes so water can flow down
  • Lead to series of reservoirs

Fall

The Rise

And

of the Mayan Civilization

What we can learn from the mayans!

Chultune

  • an underground reservoir
  • constructed of concrete and stucco
  • used for drier months

Agriculture!

  • • Raised field system for wetlands > ties in with water canals
  • • Laid out fields in grids
  • • Soil excavated in-between to create the canals then paved
  • • Canals also raised frogs, turtles, and fish for consumption

Filtration

  • Loss of springs unable to filter water
  • used quartz sand filtration before it entered the city

References

http://www.livescience.com/21622-ancient-maya-water-system.html

http://www.theinnovationdiaries.com/2289/the-ancient-mayans-a-lesson-on-sustainability/

http://www.theoldexplorer.com/index.php/maya-technology

http://thewatchers.adorraeli.com/2012/07/17/archeologists-discovered-largest-ancient-dam-built-maya-knowledge-can-use-today/

http://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/mayan.html

http://latinamericanhistory.about.com/od/Maya/p/What-Happened-To-The-Ancient-Maya.htm

http://www.theinnovationdiaries.com/2289/the-ancient-mayans-a-lesson-on-sustainability/

http://sustainabletompkins.org/signs-of-sustainability/tompkins-weekly-column/lessons-to-be-learned-from-the-maya/

http://www.history.com/topics/maya

http://science.time.com/2012/11/09/mayans/

http://www.theoldexplorer.com/index.php/maya-technology

http://www.historymuseum.ca/cmc/exhibitions/civil/maya/mmc01eng.shtml

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_civilization

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classic_Maya_collaps

Overpopulation is intricately linked with the exploitation of natural resources!

Even technologically advanced societies can fall due to environmental degradation!

A chain of events can stem from environmental degradation

Questions

8

Ancestors are crucial to understanding our relationship with the environment!

Hindsight is important when dealing with the environment!

1. what inventions do you think could help our society?

2.• What is the most plausible theory about the disappearance of the Mayan Civilization?

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