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The Maya Civilization - An Ecological Warning
The question has fascinated scholars and the public
since explorers began discovering “Lost Cities”. How could
one of the ancient world’s great civilizations simply dissolve?
Much modern scientific evidence tributes the Maya
collapse to the civilization overshooting the carrying capacity
of their environment. They exhausted their resource base, be-
gan to die of starvation and thirst, and fled their cities en
masse, leaving them as silent warnings of the perils of ecolog-
ical hubris.
since explorers began discovering “Lost Cities”. How could
one of the ancient world’s great civilizations simply dissolve?
Much modern scientific evidence tributes the Maya
collapse to the civilization overshooting the carrying capacity
of their environment. They exhausted their resource base, be-
gan to die of starvation and thirst, and fled their cities en
masse, leaving them as silent warnings of the perils of ecolog-
ical hubris.
The Maya civilization grew dangerously top heavy. The wealthy grew and they demanded jade,
shells, feathers, fancy ceramics, and other expensive ceremonial accoutrements to affirm their status. The
kuhul ajaw strove to outdo their neighbor, building bigger temples and more elegant palaces and staging
more elaborate public pageants. All this required more labor which required larger populations and perhaps
more wars to exact tribute.
Warfare raging out of control, overpopulation, environmental damage, drought and extravagance
pushed the Maya civilization into decline and collapse.
shells, feathers, fancy ceramics, and other expensive ceremonial accoutrements to affirm their status. The
kuhul ajaw strove to outdo their neighbor, building bigger temples and more elegant palaces and staging
more elaborate public pageants. All this required more labor which required larger populations and perhaps
more wars to exact tribute.
Warfare raging out of control, overpopulation, environmental damage, drought and extravagance
pushed the Maya civilization into decline and collapse.
The lessons learned from such a mighty
civilization can warn us today. Our society today
has many of the same problems as the ancient;
overpopulation, environmental damage, political
turmoil, and wars. Wealthy nations revel in
excess compared to the poor undernourished
countries. The demand for more resources from
the wealthy strain the labor class who cannot
keep up. At this rate, the inevitable collapse as
foreshadowed by the Mayans seems eminent.
Making changes in how we treat our planet and
the way resources are distributed must be made
or the aforementioned fall may take place.
civilization can warn us today. Our society today
has many of the same problems as the ancient;
overpopulation, environmental damage, political
turmoil, and wars. Wealthy nations revel in
excess compared to the poor undernourished
countries. The demand for more resources from
the wealthy strain the labor class who cannot
keep up. At this rate, the inevitable collapse as
foreshadowed by the Mayans seems eminent.
Making changes in how we treat our planet and
the way resources are distributed must be made
or the aforementioned fall may take place.
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| The Maya collapse has become an ecological parable for green activist. |