BBC Focus Magazine

[Shadowwolf]

Shifts in exchange patterns provide a new perspective on the fall of inland Maya centers in Mesoamerica approximately 1,000 years ago. This major historical process, sometimes referred to as the "Maya collapse" has puzzled archaeologists, history buffs, and the news media for decades.

"Our research strongly suggests that changing patterns of trade were instrumental in prompting the 'Maya collapse,'" said Gary Feinman, curator of anthropology at The Field Museum, which collaborated with the University of Illinois at Chicago on the study.

The new research casts doubt on the idea that climate change was the sole or principal cause, Feinman said, noting that some Maya centers, which flourished after the collapse, were located in the driest parts of the Maya region. Feinman said that climate change, along with breakdowns in leadership, warfare, and other factors, contributed to the collapse, but the shifting exchange networks may have been a key factor.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120523135538.htm

[MikeG]

If the Mel Gibson movie Apocalypto bears any resemblance to Mayan culture, they probably left no one standing to trade with.

[M Paul Lloyd]

Hollywood does love to twist history does it not?

[Shadowwolf]

Twist is such a harsh word, tis more that for the sake of fitting a long story into a short two hour span a movie necessarily contracts events and will perhaps omit that which is not essential to driving the dramatic narrative. Then here and there we might encounter some element of embellishment or exaggeration of lesser events but purely for dramatic effect so as to keep the audience engaged. Such things may also need the amalgamation of many roles into a single character or indeed for a particular historical character to be placed in a standing they did not have or villain-ised so that the narrative has its archetypal bad-guy.

So yeah, twist.

[M Paul Lloyd]

I thought it sounded better than rend?