Paleo Slide Set: Climate and the Classic Maya Civilization

This slide show will help provide the answer to an ancient riddle. For over a decade, archaeologists have been trying to unlock the mystery surrounding the collapse of the Classic Maya society. Did human-induced sociopolitical or ecological change cause the collapse of this highly advanced Mesoamerican civilization, or could natural climate variability of the Yucatan Peninsula have contributed to the collapse? Paleoclimatologists are studying the climatic history of this region to provide archaeologists with the climate context in which the Maya civilization evolved, flourished and ultimately collapsed. Each slide is accompanied by a comprehensive narrative and can be enlarged for better viewing. Educational levels: High school, Middle school, Undergraduate lower division