Climate impact on the development of Pre-Classic Maya civilization

• Main Authors: Nooren, Kees, Hoek, Wim, Dermody, Brian, Galop, Didier, Metcalfe, Sarah, Islebe, Gerald, Middelkoop, Hans
• Other Authors: Utrecht University Utrecht, Géographie de l'environnement (GEODE), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Toulouse - Jean Jaurès (UT2J), University of Nottingham, UK (UON), ECOSUR Unidad Chetumal, EI Colegio de la Frontera Sur (ECOSUR), Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología Mexico (CONACYT)-Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología Mexico (CONACYT)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2018
• Subjects: 500-yr periodicity; 2.8 ka event; palaeo-precipitation; Pre-Classic Maya period; Central Maya Lowlands; climate record; beach ridges; [SHS.ARCHEO]Humanities and Social Sciences/Archaeology and Prehistory; [SDE.ES]Environmental Sciences/Environmental and Society; [SDU.STU.CL]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences/Climatology; [SHS.GEO]Humanities and Social Sciences/Geography; North Atlantic
• Online Access: https://hal-univ-tlse2.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01860353; https://hal-univ-tlse2.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01860353/document; https://hal-univ-tlse2.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01860353/file/Climate_impact_on_the_development_of_Pre-Classic_M%20DGALOP.pdf; https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-2018-15

International audience The impact of climate change on the development and disintegration of Maya civilization has long been debated. The lack of agreement among existing palaeoclimatic records from the region has prevented a detailed understanding of regional-scale climatic variability, its climatic forcing mechanisms, and its impact on the ancient Maya. We present two new palaeo-precipitation records for the Central Maya Lowlands, spanning the Pre-Classic period (1800 BCE – 250 CE), a key epoch in the development of Maya civilization. Lake Tuspan’s diatom record is indicative of precipitation changes at a local scale, while a beach ridge elevation record from world’s largest late Holocene beach ridge plain provides a regional picture. We identify centennial-scale variability in palaeo-precipitation that significantly correlates with the North Atlantic δ14C atmospheric record, with a comparable periodicity of approximately 500 years, indicating an important role of North Atlantic atmospheric-oceanic forcing on precipitation in the Central Maya Lowlands. The Early Pre-Classic period was characterized by relatively dry conditions, shifting to wetter conditions during the Middle Pre-Classic period, around the well-known 850 BCE (2.8 ka) event. We propose that this wet period may have been unfavorable for agricultural intensification in the Central Maya Lowlands, explaining the relatively delayed development of Maya civilization in this area. A return to relatively drier conditions during the Late Pre-Classic period coincides with rapid agricultural intensification in the region and the establishment of major cities.