CatastropheThe 10th century

Catastrophe in the 10th century

Every event in the Terralore archive tagged catastrophe — plague, famine, earthquake and other disasters, narrowed to the 10th century — 2 of them, drawn from 2 nations, all of it in 900. Each entry keeps the sources it was verified against and links back to the chronicle it came from.

Events
2
Nations
2
Earliest
900
Latest
900

Every entry below is the same record, with the same sources, as the one on its nation’s chronicle.

  1. — North America:

    Belize

    The Classic Maya collapse

    From the late eighth century the southern lowland cities ceased raising monuments and were abandoned, in a prolonged collapse attributed to drought, environmental stress and warfare — though Lamanai and scattered Maya communities endured.

    Era: The land of the Maya

    Sources: History of Belize · Encyclopædia Britannica, Guyana and Belize: Country Studies (Federal Research Division) · Library of Congress

  2. — North America:

    Guatemala

    Classic Maya collapse

    Tikal and the southern lowland centres are depopulated and abandoned as the Classic Maya order disintegrates.

    Era: The Maya Heartland

    Sources: Maya · Encyclopaedia Britannica, Tikal National Park · UNESCO World Heritage Centre