Me, being an atheist with an open mind to philosophy has asked this question in my spare time on several different occasions. It's a big mystery to me how suddenly the Mayan cities had just turned into ghost towns. Don't you find it interesting as well? Common theory that I found through textbooks at my school lead me to beleive that it was the soil that became less fertile, due to fires and erosion or a riot from farmers. However, I somehow doubt that's the case.
Seeing as I'm extremely superstitious, here's my theory, call it stupid or what you will, just say why you think it's stupid:
Well, the Mayan Civilization was a Theocracy, which is a civilization ruled by religious leaders. Like high priests and whatnot. So from that I think that they learned too much, which is where a few other ideas come into the theory. Their calender, yes, stops on 2012. Since I could find no time of when the calendar was finished, I'll continue. I beleive that the theocracies gods punished the Mayans for finding the ending of time. This is just a crackpot supernatural theory though that includes only a dabble of logic to piece these things together. But this is my current opinion should it be relating to philosophy in any way.
My more "believable" idea is a full on full out riot against the theocracy for a reason not known to us. I remember seeing a theory of a massacre in the several different cities on the History channel. I think that for some reason, the theocracy caused a riot, and the people became uncontrollable and killed each other during the heat.
So what's your opinions? And why do YOU think the Mayans disappeared?
Common theory that I found through textbooks at my school lead me to beleive that it was the soil that became less fertile, due to fires and erosion or a riot from farmers. However, I somehow doubt that's the case.
Why do you doubt that's the case?
I beleive that the theocracies gods punished the Mayans for finding the ending of time. This is just a crackpot supernatural theory though that includes only a dabble of logic to piece these things together. But this is my current opinion should it be relating to philosophy in any way.
You call yourself an atheist and then blame 'gods'? That doesn't really make any sense. And then to go back on it & call your own theory 'crackpot' seems a little strange.
My more "believable" idea is a full on full out riot against the theocracy for a reason not known to us.
I'll give you that, it's definitely more believable then the Mayan gods smiting the civilization for making a calendar. I wouldn't say it's any better a theory then any of the more common explanations.
Columbus was not the first European to set foot on the New World, they were the first recorded history. We now know the Vikings also reached America. They did not colonize on the Mexican/Mayan territory, but it is possible that some other group colonized there, it just wasn't recorded in history. And that, on top of other political/economic issues might have caused teh collapse of the Empire.
the european conquistdors brought illness unknown to them, made them work in the mines and they killed many for different reasons. So it's simple to understand why they disapeared.
the european conquistdors brought illness unknown to them, made them work in the mines and they killed many for different reasons. So it's simple to understand why they disapeared.
Didnt they finish the Mayan's? I think they were on a drought, overpopulation (which caused food shortage), and long periods of warfare was already knocking them down.
The Mayan Empire collpased between 800CE to 900CE, after that they were just competing city-states. But the great Mayan civilization did collapse before the conquistadors.
They were not great but they excisted and yes the mayas were just competing city-states: Unlike the Aztec and Inca Empires, there was no single Maya political center that, once overthrown, would hasten the end of collective resistance from the indigenous peoples. Instead, the conquistador forces needed to subdue the numerous independent Maya polities almost one by one, many of which kept up a fierce resistance. Most of the conquistadores were motivated by the prospects of the great wealth to be had from the seizure of precious metal resources such as gold or silver; however, the Maya lands themselves were poor in these resources.
