Ancient DNA reveals how Mayan civilisation collapsed

[Judi Lynn]

Maya civilisation population decreased vastly during late Classic period

Vishwam Sankaran
Thursday 29 May 2025 09:06 BST


Skeletons unearthed from the ruins of the ancient city of Copán in Honduras have yielded clues to the collapse of the Mayan civilisation.

Copán, now a Unesco World Heritage site, thrived during the Classic Maya period between the third and 10th centuries AD.

Previous research has shown that it was a major crossroads city for four centuries, connecting the lower Central America to South America.

“In 426 or 427CE, the city witnessed the establishment of a royal dynasty, which endured for about 400 years,” according to a new study published in the journal Current Biology.

Excavations at the ruins have so far focused on a royal tomb where rulers were likely buried along with sacrificial victims. But the genetic origins of the people of ancient Copán have been unclear.

More:
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/archaeology/ancient-maya-civilisation-collapse-dna-b2759792.html

[Bernardo de La Paz]

1. {moot}

[Judi Lynn]

2. I just removed the dupe, changed the article! Thanks for the alert.

[Beringia]

3. Jiminy Cricket, I had to read to the very end of their article to find out why Mayan's collapsed

A decline in the population density led to the eventual collapse of the Classic Maya civilisation, they concluded.

This was between the 9th and 11th centuries, a period marked by frequent severe droughts that contributed to civil conflict, societal instability, and eventual collapse.

“Estimates of effective population size suggest a decline at the end of the Classic period, when Classic Maya civilisation experienced widespread destabilisation and collapse,” the study noted.