Just over 1,000 years ago, the ancient Maya world in Mesoamerica was turned upside down.

Prominent cities like Tikal, Palenk, Kupan and Kalakmul, these incredible centres home to tens of thousands of people, were abandoned.

Their great stone art and architecture left to be gradually reclaimed by the jungle.

It's a time of decline known as the Maya collapse.

It's the ancients on history hit. I'm Tristan Hughes your host and today we are returning to Mesoamerica to explore this fascinating yet mysterious decades long catastrophe.

It's a complex elusive topic, intertwined with the demise of a prosperous period in Maya history known as the Classic period.

Hence, why it's commonly called the Classic Meyer Collapse.

Now to shine a light on this event and what might have caused it,

well our guest today is the podcaster and author Paul Cooper.

Paul, he is the host of the Fall of Civilizations Podcast. He also has a very successful accompanying

YouTube channel. And he has recently compiled his knowledge into a book, exploring

the declines of ancient societies across the planet and the causes behind them, including that of the ancient classic Maya.

Trade networks, water systems, climate change, agricultural, failure and famine, civil unrest,

you are going to hear about all of that as we delve into the mystery of the Maya

collapse.

Paul, what a pleasure.

Welcome to the podcast.

Thanks for having me on.

You're more than welcome and to talk all about the Maya collapse. This is just one of many collapses that you cover in your book.

I always hesitate with the word collapse as well because I know it sometimes it's too easy a word to say for these things throughout ancient history, but it feels like the collapse of civilizations is always fascinated people and proves to be one of the most popular

topics when talking about particular civilizations. Now, why do you think that is, first of all?

Yeah, I think that's absolutely right.

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