Quantification of drought during the collapse of the classic Maya civilization

Evans, Nicholas P., Bauska, Thomas K., Gázquez-Sánchez, Fernando, Brenner, Mark, Curtis, Jason H. and Hodell, David A. (2018) Quantification of drought during the collapse of the classic Maya civilization. Science, 361 (6401). pp. 498-501. ISSN 0036-8075

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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.

Item Type:	Article
Subjects:	F800 Physical and Terrestrial Geographical and Environmental Sciences V100 History by period
Department:	Faculties > Engineering and Environment > Geography and Environmental Sciences
Depositing User:	Paul Burns
Date Deposited:	28 Feb 2019 12:32
Last Modified:	10 Oct 2019 23:15
URI:	http://nrl.northumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/38231

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