Why Did the Mayan Civilization Collapse?

To gaze upon the majestic ruins of the Mayan civilisation which collapsed over a thousand years ago, one is often stirred with wonder and a deep sense of curiosity (Diamond, 2005, p157-8). What happened to this great empire and what brought about its demise? The tremendous task of erecting such elaborate and colossal structures was clearly performed by the hands of a well-organized and adept group of humans (Crist and Paganini, 1980, pg24). Their empire occupied a vast area of roughly 325000 square kilometres in what is now southern Mexico and northern Central America (Fash, 1994, p182). This report will explore the causes that set in motion the collapse of the Mayan civilisation in the 10th century. I will examine particular elements in their history such as warfare and conquest, inherent difficulties in the areas of sustenance, resource management and environmental degradation. My goal is to formulate a more in-depth understanding of how such a complex and powerful people fell and what triggered their demise.

BACKGROUND AND AGRICULTURE
Initially the Mayan civilization prospered throughout the lowlands. From 300 B.C. to 900 A.D. the Mayans developed a relatively productive agriculture-based economy based on the surrounding terrains which lead to expansions in population and an ability to specialise (Crist and Paganini, 1980, pg23-24). They reached a unique level of sophistication and brought forth a wave of technology that increased subsistence productivity. Such vital innovation included fishponds, storage facilities, dams, terraces and systems of ploughing fields to maximize cultivation (Lucero, 2002, p815-816). This released the individual burden on finding daily subsistence and as a society they became able to focus on development such as public construction, art, warfare and science (Crist and Paganini, 1980, p23-25). However, Mayan agriculture suffered from various limitations which made their level of stability somewhat fragile. The Mayans

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