11. Terminal Classic Flashcards
Notes 11
Terminal
830 - 900 CE
Terminal Classic
Maya civilization in the central area reached its peak in the early to mid 8th century
100 years that followed the end of the 8th century, great cities fell into disrepair
and were abandoned, and Maya culture and its institutions underwent a major
transformation
“Collapse” was multi-causal, but ultimately a failure of political
institutions to respond to multiple, overlapping, crises.
The Puuc region and Chichén Itzá in the northern lowlands became new centers of
Postclassic Maya civilizatio
Role of the kuhul ajaw / intrinsic values
Intrinsic: kings are the embodiment of their kingdoms
They reflect the shared, collective will and well being of people who inhabit their realms
Role of the kuhul ajaw / extrinsic values
divine beings with unique powers and unique origins
they assume the task of guaranteeing prosperity of their people ans agriculture because of their special powers and connection to the divine
Mya Collapse (800 - 900 CE)
abandonment of palaces and temples of the large classic centres
cessation of monumental architecture at most sites / creation of public sculpture inscribed with long count calendar dates
decline of carved hieroglyphic texts
reduction in elite goods production
Kings face multiple crises
Maya collapse is multi faceted
beginning at about 800 CE kings faced several crises:
Overpopulation/environmental stresses
drought
conflict and warfare
Trade and market disruption
Environmental stresses (maya collapse)
Population reached carrying capacity of the land
Need for basic resources led to mass deforestation and then erosion
Before mass deforestation - sapodilla was wood of choice for lintels since it is long staight and durable. After, lintels are made from inferior logwood.
Conflict and Warfare (maya collapse)
By 8th century, tikal and calakmul lost control of their vessel states.
Political authority begun to balkanize (fragment into smaller political groups)
Warfare escalates, especially in petexbatun of guatemala (dos pilas was sacked in the mid 8th century and then impoverished for another generation until its demise)
Trade and market collapse
Cause of warfare in petexbatun is caused by growing need for resources and control of trade routes
Rulers of small cities start warfare with rivals
This culminated in the disruption of important trade routes essential to daily life and royal legitimacy.
Drought (Maya collapse)
severe drought affecting widespread parts of mayan lowlands in 800’s CE causing dwindling yields meaning pop could no longer be fed. Also means kings are not completing their roles of ensuring prosperity
Ultimate cause of failure
declining prosperity due to kings inability to respond to these multiple crises
resulting in people losing faith in the institution of divine kingship
Collapse does not occur all at once
collapse starts in the central areas (palenque), then is followed by eastern areas (tikal) then finally northern areas.
Notably some citys near permanent water sources do not collapse at all ( ex: lamani)
Collapse does not affect all social segments equall
collapse affects social segments differently. after kingship collapse communities reorganize. General decline and abandonment occurs overtime however pop hold on for decades. Most central communities abandoned by 10th century.
Minhanha, belize
small deep rural community.
royal court rose to prominence around 675 CE.
Institution of kingship falters, beginning around 775 CE.
Followed by a shift to joint rule evident by construction of a two tiered throne. In early 800s royal authority had collapsed.
After collapse elites and landless families immediately abandon homes.
where did people go?
Many people migrated, though there is little direct evidence pop migration in archaeological records
some may have migrated south to highland chiapas, others to the northern lowlands.
