Ancient Maya Metropolis

The ancestors of today's Maya people thrived in hundreds of cities across Central America. Caracol and Tikal, with over 100,000 inhabitants at their peak, were among the biggest cities anywhere in the world at the time.

For centuries, Maya "god-kings" commissioned magnificent pyramids and palaces until, beginning around 800 CE, the great cities of the lowland jungle region began to fail for reasons that have long intrigued archaeologists, scholars, and the public alike. Now, NOVA investigates dramatic new scientific evidence of catastrophic droughts that may have caused widespread crop failures and pushed cities already stressed by overpopulation and warfare beyond their limits. The show highlights the recent discovery of an extraordinary "diary" of warfare between three cities that adds vivid new detail to our understanding of what happened. The evidence testifies to the unwinding of a great civilization but also the survival and resilience of a resourceful people, whose traditions and creativity continue to enrich the world today. NOVA's story will feature Indigenous archaeologists and the perspective of today's Maya people, who still follow many of their traditional beliefs and customs.

Upplagd i sortimentet: 14 april, 2022