The Complete Idiot's Guide to 2012 - Dr. Synthia Andrews Nd [8]
Historical Eras
Historians divide Mayan history into three eras:
◆ Pre-classic (2000 B.C.E. to 250 C.E.). The is the period of development when writing, ritual, astronomy, and architecture evolved. The calendars were designed in this period, recording events as far back as 600 B.C.E. Key archeological sites from this time period are Nakbe, El Mirada, Cival, and San Bartolo, all in the Peten region of Guatemala. This is considered the cradle of Mayan civilization and the center of the pre-classic era.
◆ Classic (250 C.E. to 900 C.E.). Mayan civilization reached its peak in this era. It was established as the dominant power in the region with advanced science, art, and architecture. The center of the civilization shifted north and the cities of Palenque, Tikal, and Calakmul were key centers of power. By 800 C.E. the lowland cities began to collapse, leading to the downfall of Mayan supremacy.
◆ Post-classic (900 C.E. to 1521 C.E.). By the beginning of this era the Maya were abandoning their cities in the southern lowlands. Chichen Itza in the Yucatán peninsula became the strongest Mayan center and ruled the northern regions, commanding many essential trade routes.
Vanishing Act
When the Spanish conquistadores explored the Maya Area looking for gold and treasure, they were disappointed. They describe entering massive cities, walking down paved streets alongside incredible temples and pyramids; all eerily empty. What happened? At first, famine or plague was assumed, but there were no vast gravesites or other signs of immediate, massive death. It was as if the people had simply disappeared.
Cosmic Caution
A common misconception is that the Mayan civilization was destroyed by the Spanish. Actually, Mayan centers were being abandoned 500 years before the Spanish arrived.
The exodus occurred during the last 100 years of the classic Maya period, around 800 C.E. It started with the collapse and abandonment of the southern lowland communities such as Tikal. Theories are grouped in three general camps: social/ political upheaval, environmental collapse, and climate change. There is evidence to support all these theories, and the reality might be some combination of all.
Social/Political Upheaval
People may have voluntarily left the cities, perhaps due to information from the prophecies. Prophecies for this time period, as written in the Chilam Balam, describe a period of hardship when Mayan knowledge would need to be hidden. Many believe the Maya simply went underground to protect their culture from war or invasion with greater warrior societies like the Toltec.
Although destruction by warfare was a popular theory, there is no real evidence to support it. Usually victors take over and inhabit the cities they win in battle. This clearly did not happen here.
Another theory is revolution against the elite class, or even wars among the ruling class. At the end of the classic period, there was an unprecedented increase in urban construction followed by the complete cessation of building, then abandonment. Steles, the stone pillars with hieroglyphic inscriptions, and monuments were vandalized.
The theory is that social stress, increased war, and decreased trade along with a food shortage caused the ruling class to fight against each other and caused people to lose faith. If the king and his ruling class could no longer balance the universe, why build for them and work the fields? There is some evidence that after the ruling class was driven out, members of the population maintained the cities for a short period before they also abandoned them.
Environmental Collapse
The most accepted version is environmental. As the population in the great cities grew, it became harder