The value of palaeoecological tools in Maya archaeology

Abstract

In this report the value of palaeoecological tools, pollen assemblages and stable oxygen isotope records, in Maya archaeology is examined. A detailed description is given of several of the most detailed palaeoecological records. These records were retrieved from lakes in the Maya lowlands, and shed light on what role environmental change had on the collapse of Maya civilization. Pollen records give insight into the change of vegetation in the area, and stable isotopic records give information on past hydrology of the lake. Analysis of these records point to the deterioration of the environment by the Maya, which lowered their resilience as a society. It is therefore likely that sustained dry periods during the Terminal Classic period were a contributing factor in the collapse of the Maya civilization.