Why Did The Maya Disappear?
Why did the Maya disappear is a question that has baffled historians for years. Because the Maya disappeared long ago no one will ever know for sure what happened to them. Many theories exist but none are definitely true.
In the PostClassic period the Maya abandoned many of the cities in the south such as Palenque and Tikal and they migrated northward to settle Uxmal. Then Uxmal was abandoned and Chitchen Itza was settled and ultimately conquered by the people of Mayapan. Mayapan ultimately fell to the Spaniards who tried to convert the people to Christianity and forced many to become slaves. Never-the-less the pattern existed that the cities would be settled and ultimately abandoned.
Some of the theories are that over population may have caused people to move because there was not be enough food for everyone. The Maya were a farming people and the farmland would not be fertilized like today. The farmland may have not produced as well and caused a famine and thus forced the Mayans to move to more fertile lands. Some historians have also said that droughts may have caused the people to move-since they would have to find land with more water to drink and farm with. Other people have suggested reasons such as climatic changes, earth quakes, and sickness or epidemics. One other big reason may have been warfare from neighboring cities or invaders from other countries. No one will ever know for sure why the Mayans abandoned their cities, but we do know that the ruins are in the jungles with the buildings standing. And the Mayans may have moved for any number of combinations of the reasons listed above. The Mayans were a wonderful civilization and it is horrible that they collapsed. Because the Mayans fell apart so many years ago, no one will ever know why they disappeared. It is mystery that we will never know how to solve.