|
. | . |
|
by Brooks Hays Houston (UPI) Dec 29, 2014
Recent mineral testing in the Great Blue Hole, a massive underwater cave in Belize, suggests a lengthy drought lead to the collapse of the Mayans. From 300 to 700 CE, the Mayan civilization dominated the Yucatan peninsula. But after flourishing for four centuries -- boasting a fully developed writing system, as well as innovations in art, architecture, mathematics and science -- the Mesoamerican civilization devolved into chaos and dramatically dissipated. Modern historians, anthropologists and archaeologists have long speculated about what exactly precipitated the Mayan's ancient decline. But now, minerals measured in Belize's so-called Blue Hole -- a massive underwater cave, the entrance of which looks like a perfect blue circle -- suggest the Yucatan peninsula suffered an extreme drought between 800 and 900 CE. In the wake of this climatological stressor, the Mayans relocated northward. But the research showed that another severe drought struck, further decimating what was left of the ancient Mayans. "When you have major droughts, you start to get famines and unrest," Andre Droxler, an Earth scientist at Rice University and author of the new study on Belize's Great Blue Hole, told Live Science. The new evidence suggests ancient droughts likely exacerbated deforestation trends on the Yucatan peninsula, as the Mayans cleared more and more land for farming. Like a funnel trap, blue holes trap neatly settled layers of sediment -- offering a well-organized record of a region's geologic and climatological past. "It's like a big bucket. It's a sediment trap," explained Droxler. The new revelations expand on a study that was first published in 2012 in the journal Science.
Related Links Climate Science News - Modeling, Mitigation Adaptation
|
|
The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2014 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement All images and articles appearing on Space Media Network have been edited or digitally altered in some way. Any requests to remove copyright material will be acted upon in a timely and appropriate manner. Any attempt to extort money from Space Media Network will be ignored and reported to Australian Law Enforcement Agencies as a potential case of financial fraud involving the use of a telephonic carriage device or postal service. |