We had 4 months of no rain at all this year in southern Belize. Constant power shortages as the dams dried up, and Mexican electricity was restricted - understandably, although Tren Maya was blamed a few times. Great article, lots of Mayan temples to explore in Belize!
Thank you for reading. I’m transfixed on ancient civilizations and in one long documentary I saw, mostly in the Mideast, when traveling in this desert they kept going by all these mounds. Writer asked the guide what they were- he said an old civilization but there were so many and so old they didn’t know anything about them. So, I think climate and human nature takes its toll.
When I read this, I was so shocked. Something so "simple" that can be solved today by importing water (common in Europe) killed an entire, beautiful culture.
Hola Nadine, sadly most of the Yucatán and parts of northern Guatemala and Honduras, the crux of the Maya civilizations early on in their PreClassic period, were in the throes of,as one esteemed archaeologist put it, a 7 thousand! Year drought. So,as in the EU today, there was nowhere to turn. Plus, the Maya did not have the wheel. Everything was carted by humans. They also did not have beasts of burden. Wild no? But they did create clever cache systems and aqueduct type systems to try and preserve rain water. The Yucatan is a dry plain, no rivers to speak of ! so cenotes were of utmost importance. That’s why the rain god Chac was everywhere on their pyramids.
Jeanine, another informative and fascinating post. It's also frightening! I wonder how much we learn from these catastrophic events and how much we look away. Thanks for all of your research and sharing.
True. I posted this also on FB (not sure how long I’ll continue that ‘journey’) with a header that said, Can we learn from the past? It was actually rhetorical but a couple responders firmly stated no, even with the research stated from esteemed Michael Coe, Jared Diamond and Elizabeth Kolbert. So I guess many choose to look away, or could be climate deniers, which seems amazing to me with the fires and horrific hurricanes of late. Sigh.
I haven't closed out my other social media sites, but I rarely am on it anymore. It can be exhausting to try and defend the research. It's mind boggling at times. Thank you again for your essays. I learn so much.
Usually I take it with a grain of salt. I knew I could be stepping on toes which blows my mind, the Earth being ravaged by horrific fires, floods and class 5 hurricanes. And let’s not go forget tornadoes. And so it goes. C’est la vie.
Great article and a cautionary tale! Jeanine Kitchel examines why the ancient Mayan drought is a warning for today. Because it's not "just" about some dusty long ago society. The Mayan collapse "occurred within the past thousand years...in today’s world, a ‘civilization’ collapse would encompass the entire planet due to our connectivity in pretty much everything."
Great in-depth review of the likely cause of the Mayan collapse. There are lessons for us in history, but, unfortunately, I doubt most of us will heed them...
Yes, so many great nations have tumbled. For some reason I’m obsessed with ancient cultures (and their falls, I better not read too much into that-haha). So merrily we go along. Thanks for reading and your comment, Mike.
I was living in Bangkok when the BTS, Thailand's first-ever mass rapid transit rail system, opened in late 1999. It's an elevated rail, colloquially called the 'sky train.' Ridership was very low for the first couple of years, so low that I never had a problem getting a seat even in rush hour. The complaints were many and loud: the stations have no parking or loos, the 2 short lines are not useful for most people, the interface with the street is awkward, and TICKET PRICES ARE TOO HIGH. Fast forward a quarter century and the BTS trains are jam-packed on all 3 lines that are now operating. In other words, it can take a metaphorical minute for people to embrace a transportation option that never existed before.
Well said. Yes, years, decades can make the difference. I hope that Tren Maya can fulfill the same slot. Sadly their elevated section has been relegated to ground level and the churning through kilometers of jungle land not initially intended to be destroyed. And that it was done with no feasibility study shows lack of understanding or concern. Time will tell!
What a great article, the history is interesting...can we, will we learn from it? So sad about the Tren Maya, all of it...who is it really benefitting? The fact that AMLO had decided it would happen even before feasibility studies were done, speaks volumes.
Thanks Ellen. It is eerily scary. And no new facts when one considers so many many civilizations have come and gone. Re train—a true travesty— and his hubris.
Oh the gas line problemas, haha. Numerous stories abound as you can well guess! Yes, the drought theory is certainly not new news, but with CA mega fire (near my siblings) and hurricanes ravaging US eastern seaboard, it seemed timely. I didn’t bring up the devastating film / 8 minutes/ Five Degrees Celsius we saw in Singapore at Cloud Forest a few years ago. It’s so depressing, I wrote it out of my story. Singapore is enlightened environmentally, actually in all ways imho. When you’re strapped for land and resources-that’ll do it!
We had 4 months of no rain at all this year in southern Belize. Constant power shortages as the dams dried up, and Mexican electricity was restricted - understandably, although Tren Maya was blamed a few times. Great article, lots of Mayan temples to explore in Belize!
Thank you for such detailed information. My heart sank to my stomach through most of the article knowing where we are headed.
Thank you for reading. I’m transfixed on ancient civilizations and in one long documentary I saw, mostly in the Mideast, when traveling in this desert they kept going by all these mounds. Writer asked the guide what they were- he said an old civilization but there were so many and so old they didn’t know anything about them. So, I think climate and human nature takes its toll.
When I read this, I was so shocked. Something so "simple" that can be solved today by importing water (common in Europe) killed an entire, beautiful culture.
Hola Nadine, sadly most of the Yucatán and parts of northern Guatemala and Honduras, the crux of the Maya civilizations early on in their PreClassic period, were in the throes of,as one esteemed archaeologist put it, a 7 thousand! Year drought. So,as in the EU today, there was nowhere to turn. Plus, the Maya did not have the wheel. Everything was carted by humans. They also did not have beasts of burden. Wild no? But they did create clever cache systems and aqueduct type systems to try and preserve rain water. The Yucatan is a dry plain, no rivers to speak of ! so cenotes were of utmost importance. That’s why the rain god Chac was everywhere on their pyramids.
Jeanine, another informative and fascinating post. It's also frightening! I wonder how much we learn from these catastrophic events and how much we look away. Thanks for all of your research and sharing.
True. I posted this also on FB (not sure how long I’ll continue that ‘journey’) with a header that said, Can we learn from the past? It was actually rhetorical but a couple responders firmly stated no, even with the research stated from esteemed Michael Coe, Jared Diamond and Elizabeth Kolbert. So I guess many choose to look away, or could be climate deniers, which seems amazing to me with the fires and horrific hurricanes of late. Sigh.
I haven't closed out my other social media sites, but I rarely am on it anymore. It can be exhausting to try and defend the research. It's mind boggling at times. Thank you again for your essays. I learn so much.
Usually I take it with a grain of salt. I knew I could be stepping on toes which blows my mind, the Earth being ravaged by horrific fires, floods and class 5 hurricanes. And let’s not go forget tornadoes. And so it goes. C’est la vie.
This is really informative and interesting. I can see the whole cycle going again. Thank you for the article.
You are very welcome Victoria!
More fascinating, and timely, history.
Fantastic article, Jeanine! I had no idea about any of this. Thanks!!
Thanks Mikel!
Great article and a cautionary tale! Jeanine Kitchel examines why the ancient Mayan drought is a warning for today. Because it's not "just" about some dusty long ago society. The Mayan collapse "occurred within the past thousand years...in today’s world, a ‘civilization’ collapse would encompass the entire planet due to our connectivity in pretty much everything."
Great in-depth review of the likely cause of the Mayan collapse. There are lessons for us in history, but, unfortunately, I doubt most of us will heed them...
Yes, so many great nations have tumbled. For some reason I’m obsessed with ancient cultures (and their falls, I better not read too much into that-haha). So merrily we go along. Thanks for reading and your comment, Mike.
I was living in Bangkok when the BTS, Thailand's first-ever mass rapid transit rail system, opened in late 1999. It's an elevated rail, colloquially called the 'sky train.' Ridership was very low for the first couple of years, so low that I never had a problem getting a seat even in rush hour. The complaints were many and loud: the stations have no parking or loos, the 2 short lines are not useful for most people, the interface with the street is awkward, and TICKET PRICES ARE TOO HIGH. Fast forward a quarter century and the BTS trains are jam-packed on all 3 lines that are now operating. In other words, it can take a metaphorical minute for people to embrace a transportation option that never existed before.
Well said. Yes, years, decades can make the difference. I hope that Tren Maya can fulfill the same slot. Sadly their elevated section has been relegated to ground level and the churning through kilometers of jungle land not initially intended to be destroyed. And that it was done with no feasibility study shows lack of understanding or concern. Time will tell!
The times they are a changin.'
Indeed!
What a great article, the history is interesting...can we, will we learn from it? So sad about the Tren Maya, all of it...who is it really benefitting? The fact that AMLO had decided it would happen even before feasibility studies were done, speaks volumes.
Thanks Ellen. It is eerily scary. And no new facts when one considers so many many civilizations have come and gone. Re train—a true travesty— and his hubris.
Knew most of this story of collapse, Jeanine but as you say it's a salutary reminder.
On a side note at least the white elephant of the Tren Maya reduces the risk of a clogged fuel line in your rental car from rural Yucatan gas pumps!
Oh the gas line problemas, haha. Numerous stories abound as you can well guess! Yes, the drought theory is certainly not new news, but with CA mega fire (near my siblings) and hurricanes ravaging US eastern seaboard, it seemed timely. I didn’t bring up the devastating film / 8 minutes/ Five Degrees Celsius we saw in Singapore at Cloud Forest a few years ago. It’s so depressing, I wrote it out of my story. Singapore is enlightened environmentally, actually in all ways imho. When you’re strapped for land and resources-that’ll do it!
Yup! We broke down in the middle of nowhere on an Easter Sunday!
Ohh. I think I remember that post!!!!!