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Technology & Mayas • Chap. 3, Mayas - Ancient Civilization – Rise and Fall – population growth, gradual in ancient times • intensification of agriculture and water management • more social control - exploitation - rebellion • expansion - wars - more territory - more control CAUSES OF COLLAPSE – Rising costs of coordination, exploiting farmers – Stressed system - shocks: • • • • • change of climate invasion disease rebellion costs of warfare MAYA CLASSIC COLLAPSE 850 CE (A.D.) • Newest data – deciphering of Maya hieroglyphs • political history • warfare increases, rebellions also – biophysical evidence of climate change • drought 850-1050 CE • lack of domestic water - disease, thirst, water wars? • TERRACING conserves water in ground HOPES FOR US? • MODERN INDUSTRIAL CIVILIZATION – environmental impact info – socio-cultural impact & public health info – predicting with statistics, modeling • a chance to prevent collapse • political will ? • investing by the wealthy for the long term?? First Civilizations • OLD WORLD – – – – – Mesopotamia China India Egypt Emerging info • ? S. Asia • ? Africa • NEW WORLD – Andean • Inca + Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, N. Chile – Mesoamerica • Toltec (Teotihuacan, Valley of Mexico, Axtec) • Olmec (southern Gulf) • Maya (Yucatan + highlands) • Oaxaca (Mixtec, Zapotec, Mt. Alban) PERIODS OF MAYA CIVILIZATION Preclassic Classic Postclassic 800 BCE – 200 CE 400 – 850 CE 1050-1500 CE Divert rivers, + raised Population drain swamps fields, terraces reduced 65% (overall) Maya Collapse ?? • Abandonment of southern cities in lowlands – – – – – Palenque (Chiapas, Mexico) Copan, Edzna, Calakmul (S. Yucatan Peninsula Tikal (Guatemala) Copan (Honduras) Caracol, Cerros, Lamanai (Belize) SURVIVORS • Highlands of Guatemala & Chiapas, Mexico • Northern Lowlands (northern half of Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico) – Cities continue, shifting cultivation also – Irrigation systems ??? – Sculpture, architecture, painting, ceramics Spanish Conquest • Exploitation, malnutrition, loss of resources. • Ecological disruptions -- new plants, animals, weeds • Virgin soil epidemics - New World – losses of 90% + in lowlands - malaria – losses of 70% + in highlands • Effects CONFUSED - 9th century collapse Ancient Cities • Dependence on rainfall agriculture plus simple irrigation systems, terracing • Global climate change - impacts agriculture • Local effects differ widely - wind patterns and rainfall throughout agricultural cycle. • Buffered by city gardening, smaller elite living off production by peasant farmers WATER DEFICIENCY • THIRST - kills faster than hunger (faster with high heat and humidity) • Skin diseases – lack of water for bathing, washing clothes (especially in tropics) • Varmints invade houses and grain storage – lack of water for cleaning • Malnutrition - lack of water for cooking grains and seeds, poor harvests from lack of rain. ENVIRONMENTAL CONSTRAINTS • 6 MONTH DRY – Jan. - May • HURRICANES – Aug. - Sept. • FLOODING – Aug. - Dec • Karst topography – limestone subsoil – vertical cracks – water seeps down and out to sea – no rivers or lakes – seasonal streams and ponds in some areas Aguadas & Chultunes • Chultunes - stonelined underground water storage cisterns for domestic use in towns • Aguadas - enlarged seasonal ponds, often lined with cement to prevent leakage • Canals and sloped village construction to drain water into aguadas and chultunes. • Continued use and communal maintenance until the arrival of piped water with wells and pumps Agricultural Adaptation to Maya Environment • Shifting cultivation (slash and burn), cyclical use/fallow – Soil renewal from trees (roots, leaf fall) – polycropping – risk reduction, plant high and low, early and late – low labor costs – needs low population • Intensive – River diversion - rare – Drained fields – Raised fields • • • • bigger canals soil doubled on fields fish farming shading/water lilies reduces evaporation – Terracing - water & soil conserved Animal Helpers + ENERGY • Old World – draft animals • horse • cattle (oxen) – pack animals • • • • donkey camel yak elephant • New World – llamas in Andes TECHNOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES • Reduces incentive to develop wheel for transport • No wheel - no pulleys, other machinery • Energy - human back and social organization, detailed knowledge modification of natural environment Linkages Energy Productivity Environment Fossil Fuels ++++++ Water & Wind +++ ------- Animal help ++ Human energy + + env. smarts -- HOPES • • • • • HYDROGEN CELLS SOLAR PANELS WINDMILLS GEOTHERMAL EFFICIENCY OF USE POPULATION DENSITY • ANALYSIS OF POP. PRESSURE ON RESOURCES - ancient Mayas and culture change processes – assume 5 persons per housemound ??? – fails to include number of residences per peasant family -- divide by 3 or 4? • long fallow regimes - 20 years in each hamlet? • residence in town centers during dry season • grain storage in old houses VIDEO - Joya de Ceren • • • • Maya Pompeii, El Salvador Volcano covered peasant village - 600 CE Produced food for Maya cities Corvee labor for building projects – Estimate (Abrams), 2 months of labor twice in adult man’s life time, during dry season. Fairness & Rebellion – Early Classic Compensations • • • • jade jewelry seeing grand ceremonies obsidian tools polychrome ceramics (high quality dishes with colored glazes) • shells for jewelry – Late Classic - upper classes demand more and give less, growing gap between rich and poor. Rebellions, increased war between city-states. Zapatistas 1994 • Chiapas - indigenous peoples – defending land rights, precedents: • Mexican Revolution - Emiliano Zapata, national hero • Caste War of the Mayas of Yucatan 1848, de facto autonomy of Maya in Quintana Roo until Cancun. – Use of new information technologies • Taking their case to the internet, asking for support from abroad. Cell phones, computers, internet NAFTA & ZAPATISTA REBELLION – livelihood threatened by NAFTA • importing cheap corn, hidden US subsidies • no subsidies for these indigenous farmers • Goal - diversify production, produce for market efficiently, globalization • Result - increased poverty, rebellion to protect livelihood • UPDATE - holding autonomous territory, community organizing for mutual aid, asking for national political change 1994-2003 and counting . ..