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Human Inhabitants Lessons from the Mayas The great Maya civilization of southern Mexico, Belize, and Guatemala reached its golden age around A.D. 250. The civilization flourished for more than 600 years, producing impressive architecture, painting, and pottery and making advancements in mathematics and astronomy. Giant metropolises, like Tikal, Piedras Negras, and Uaxactùn were built and vast areas of forest were cleared. Then, inexplicably, the Maya civilization declined. The civilization fell 67% between 830-930 A.D. from a peak population density of 2600 people per square mile in cities, and 520-1300 people per square miles in rural areas. Archaeologists have spent decades trying to unlock the downfall of the civilization, and today many believe that the Mayas' exploitation of their environment may have played a major role. As they cut their forests, soil erosion destroyed their agriculture. They hunted their game, until it was too scarce to support the rapidly increasing population. The Mayas reached a point when they could no longer feed their population and the civilization declined. Reduced food availability would result in migration away from urban centers and possibly a collapse in civil order. Today, almost 1100 years later, we are facing many of the same problems as the Mayas: forest loss, soil erosion, over consumption, declining freshwater supplies, and overpopulation. Hopefully, our civilization can learn from the downfall of Mayas and work to develop a more sustainable society. |
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Forest People |
Indigenous Health Lessons from the Maya Forest people plant knowledge A Brief Social History of Borneo Forest people today Tri-country Amerindian summit Indigenous people estimates Varzea vs Terra settlements |
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Copyright Rhett Butler 1994-2005 |
