Quantification of drought during the collapse of the classic Maya civilization.
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Authors
Evans, Nicholas P
Brenner, Mark
Publication Date
2018-08-03Journal Title
Science
ISSN
0036-8075
Publisher
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Volume
361
Issue
6401
Pages
498-501
Language
eng
Type
Article
Physical Medium
Print
Metadata
Show full item recordCitation
Evans, N. P., Bauska, T. K., Gázquez-Sánchez, F., Brenner, M., Curtis, J. H., & Hodell, D. A. (2018). Quantification of drought during the collapse of the classic Maya civilization.. Science, 361 (6401), 498-501. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aas9871
Abstract
The demise of Lowland Classic Maya civilization during the Terminal Classic Period (~800 to 1000 CE) is a well-cited example of how past climate may have affected ancient societies. Attempts to estimate the magnitude of hydrologic change, however, have met with equivocal success because of the qualitative and indirect nature of available climate proxy data. We reconstructed the past isotopic composition (δ18O, δD, 17O-excess, and d-excess) of water in Lake Chichancanab, Mexico, using a technique that involves isotopic analysis of the structurally bound water in sedimentary gypsum, which was deposited under drought conditions. The triple oxygen and hydrogen isotope data provide a direct measure of past changes in lake hydrology. We modeled the data and conclude that annual precipitation decreased between 41 and 54% (with intervals of up to 70% rainfall reduction during peak drought conditions) and that relative humidity declined by 2 to 7% compared to present-day conditions.
Keywords
Civilization, History, Ancient, Mexico, Droughts, Lakes
Sponsorship
ERC 339694
(Water Isotopes of Hydrated Minerals)
Funder references
European Research Council (339694)
Identifiers
External DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aas9871
This record's URL: https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/284540
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Licence:
http://www.rioxx.net/licenses/all-rights-reserved
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