NOVA:AncientMayaMetropolis
ExploreancientMayacitiesandlearnwhytheirinhabitantsabandonedthem
Theancientancestorsoftoday'sMayapeoplethrivedinlargesophisticatedcitiesacrossCentralAmericaforcenturies.Why,around750CE,didtheybegintoabandonmanyoftheirmajorcities?Archaeologistsinvestigatedramaticnewevidenceofthecatastrophicdroughtsandinstabilitythatpushedcitiesbeyondtheirlimits.TheevidencealsotestifiestothesurvivalandresilienceoftheMayapeople,whosetraditionsandcreativitycontinuetoenrichtheworldtoday.