The Ancients The Maya Collapse
Jul 28, 2024
Join Paul Cooper, a seasoned podcaster and author on ancient civilizations, as he delves into the mysterious Maya Collapse. Discover how thriving cities like Tikal fell due to climate change, agricultural failures, and societal unrest. Unearth the complexities of Maya warfare and impressively engineered water systems, which played crucial roles during times of crisis. Learn how the remnants of this once-great civilization continue to resonate today, reminding us of the delicate balance of societal resilience amidst environmental challenges.
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Human Resilience in Collapse
- Civilization collapses fascinate because they show the impermanence of human achievements.
- These stories offer hope, illustrating human resilience through crises and renewals.
Maya's Environmental Challenge
- The Maya thrived in the caustic Yucatan Peninsula, a limestone landscape without rivers.
- Their survival depended on capturing seasonal rainwater and managing thin, porous, drought-prone soils.
Dense Population Revealed by LIDAR
- LIDAR technology revealed the Maya lowlands were among the densest populated areas globally.
- Agricultural hinterlands between cities were almost fully cultivated, showing intensive land use.