The decline of many Maya cities between roughly 760 and 930 CE has often been attributed mainly to severe drought. Research discussed by The Washington Post points to a more complex picture in which climate was one factor among several, with different effects across the region.
Evidence from archaeological sites suggests some settlements declined without experiencing the same drought conditions as other areas, while some places with more rainfall were abandoned earlier. These differences challenge the idea of one uniform collapse across the Maya world.
Researchers increasingly describe the Maya as a network of city-states. Political instability, warfare, trade disruption and migration may have shaped local outcomes, while drought could have intensified existing vulnerabilities. The historical record remains incomplete, so the emerging view is of interconnected pressures rather than one cause.
Source: The Washington Post.
