Disaster
Collapse of Classic Maya Civilization
Major Maya city-states are abandoned due to drought, warfare, and ecological collapse during the Terminal Classic period.
A combination of severe multi-decadal droughts, deforestation, and intensifying warfare led to the abandonment of great cities like Tikal and Palenque. Population centers shifted north to the Yucatan Peninsula as southern lowlands became uninhabitable. This collapse ended the Classic period's political complexity but did not erase Maya culture, which persisted in the Postclassic era.
It serves as a stark historical example of environmental stress contributing to the fall of a complex civilization.
Where it happened
Tikal and Calakmul, Guatemala/Mexico — see it on the interactive map →
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