Disease - epidemic outbreaks

Right then – I’ve briefly outlined the Mayan civilization so now’s the time to start having a closer look at the 4 main hypothesis behind their collapse. In this post I’ll talk about the role of disease in extensive population loss and its role in destabilizing the Maya.

Acuna-Soto et al (2005)argue that Mesoamerica was a “cradle of human civilization” (p406) and the success of the Maya and other nearby populations (such as the highly successful populations living in Teotihuacan) reached a climax at the end of the Classic Period (200 AD – 900 AD). Civilizations in Mesoamerica then experienced dramatic population decreases and came to a rather sticky end during the Terminal Classic Period (570 AD – 900 AD).

Evidence of permanent abandonment of large settlements, the end of commercial economic exchange and the abandonment of large construction projects is used by Acuna-Soto et al as confirmation of large scale drops in population. Between 770 AD and 890 AD Mayan cities were abandoned and by 950 AD the Mayan territory of Mesoamerica and the Yucatan Peninsula was uninhabited. It is argued that this severe population decrease caused irreversible damage to the Mayan society.

Source: Blogspot

They argue that the dramatic population loss indicated by changes in Maya behaviour was, in part, caused by epidemic haemorrhagic fevers. This hypothesis is supported by similarities in climate and demographic changes between the Terminal Classic depopulation and severe epidemics in the same region during the 16^th century. This epidemic outbreak coincided with some of the most severe drought events recorded in the past 1,000 – 4,000 years (interesting – we’ll look into these shortly). Proxy evidence, in the form of tree rings and sediment records from El Malpais (New Mexico), was used to date these drought events.

The prolonged drought events were interrupted by sporadic, short lived but extremely wet periods which Acuna-Soto et al argue would have provided ideal conditions for haemorrhagic fevers to multiply and spread.

So were the Mayans wiped out by a severe epidemic outburst that coincided with drought events? Or was the drought itself a more influential factor...?