In recent weeks there has been a lot of talk about the Maya in the news. New archaeological discoveries about this mysterious people may shed light on why this culture began to disintegrate fairly abruptly from AD 900 onwards. Over the years, many theories have been discussed, but a definitive answer is still lacking. Kennislink lists a number of the most plausible archaeological theories. Climate theory is discussed in a separate article.
Who were the Maya?
The Maya were an indigenous Indian people who lived in Mesoamerica. The heyday of their culture was between 250 AD and 900 AD. They lived in small city-states led by kings who were seen as mediators between gods and humans. The Maya culture is seen as the most highly developed civilization in Central America before the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors. She had her own ideographic writing system and a very accurate calendar. The Maya excelled at building monumental architecture, stone altars, sculpture and steles
Much of what we know about Mayan culture today is due to the accounts of monks and Spanish soldiers during the colonial period and to the various excavations carried out by archaeologists.
Decay
Around 900 AD, the Maya stopped building the monumental structures quite abruptly. Scientists assume that this also meant the failure of the local ruling class, because the ruling class ordered the construction of these monuments. Archaeological research has shown that around the same time no maintenance was done to the monuments. The amount of official burials decreased and the grave goods became fewer and poorer.
What happened?
At the beginning of January Kennislink surveyed what you think is the main cause of the demise of the Maya civilization.
The right answer? You are all somewhat right! All factors contributed to the eventual decline of Mayan society, though some more than others. The Spaniards, for example, only set foot there in the sixteenth century. Although they did indeed carry many diseases and many Mayas died as a result, this factor is not important for what happened around 900 AD.
The demise of the Maya civilization is a complex set of causes and connections. There is no single factor that is responsible in itself. In fact, you could say that the Maya were victims of their own success. The extreme population growth during the Classic period set in motion a chain reaction that affected all of Mayan society.
There are complex schemes that try to relate the various causes and interrelationships. These factors should therefore be seen in connection with each other, not as an isolated cause. Broadly speaking, three dynamic main causes of decline can be distinguished:1) intensification of agriculture leading to exhaustion, 2) the disruptive effect of struggle and warfare and 3) the rejection of religious ideology and kingship.
Landscape use
The landscape in the Maya regions was extremely suitable for agriculture. Due to the favorable crop properties, the Maya mainly cultivated maize, beans and chili. Corn, for example – unlike grain – is a crop that requires far fewer reserves to secure the next year's crop. Furthermore, the Mayas used almost no beasts of burden for tilling the land. Because there were few animals to feed, the farmers could almost completely dispose of the harvest themselves.
The agricultural system of the Maya also had a downside. The technology they had at their disposal was moderately advanced. Without metal tools, beasts of burden and complicated machinery, the Maya could only work a relatively small part of the land. Little surplus was produced per household, simply because it was too labour-intensive. There was just enough to support one's own family. And that is in case the conditions were optimal. Many farmers will have had to deal with storms, droughts, locusts eating the crops and diseases on the crops on a regular basis. Despite the relatively low nutritional value of maize, the Maya survived for centuries in this way, as long as the population remained somewhat stable.
However, the explosive population growth in the Classical period (250 – 900 AD) meant that the landscape had to be used more intensively. There were simply more mouths to feed. As the population grew and the usable land became scarce due to exhaustion, the Mayan peasants were forced to produce surplus (for the king) when they did not have the means to do so.
Struggle and warfare; the role of the kings
In the early years of Mayan research, scientists assumed that the Maya were generally a peaceful people. Once the writing of the Maya could be deciphered, it turned out to be very different. Much was written about strife between the tribes, about prisoners of war, and about sacrifices.
We don't know exactly why the Maya went to war. Inscriptions are silent about the immediate causes. Prestige and personal ambition probably played a role, but access to agricultural land (and its products) must have been the main reason. In the end, it was not the jade death masks, but the products of agriculture that were the true wealth of the Maya.
These activities gave the rulers even more mouths to feed, and that shifted the balance. And because the landscape threatened to become exhausted, the kings were forced to intervene artificially in the agricultural system. The kings tried to increase the production surplus of the peasants by building terraces, transferring peasants to other regions and conquering other areas in order to own more farmland. These ventures were only moderately successful, at least not in the long run.
The elite's meddling in agriculture caused social unrest among the peasants, who experienced increasing pressure. Not only did they have to generate surplus to feed the fighting elite, the peasants were transferred to other regions every once in a while, depending on the victor who emerged from the battle. The social unrest was heightened by a feeling of insecurity and dissatisfaction.
Religious ideology and kingship
The Maya relied on the king as a spiritual leader for their souls. He was a mediator between the population and the gods. The Maya believed that a good relationship with the gods guaranteed prosperity and prosperity. The king in particular played an important role in this:after all, he was responsible for ensuring balance, order and success in society.
The Maya saw collective misfortune or disaster not as the failure of a system, but as a person's personal moral failure. Kings were therefore held personally liable and were blamed for disasters. When the agricultural system fails – and related miseries such as disease and malnutrition – not only the population will have pointed the finger of blame. The elite and other religious leaders will also have criticized the institution of kingship in an effort to maintain their own privileges. The people lost faith in the ideology associated with kingship.
The traditions, customs and culture of a people that existed for centuries came to an end. What exactly happened to the Maya next is still a matter of debate among scientists. We are seeing a demographic decline. Did the Mayans leave the monumental cities to move to other regions in the hope of finding a better life there? Was the failure of the agricultural system the cause of famine and death? Scientists hope to be able to provide more information about this in the future with the help of new insights.