What actually caused the collapse of the ancient Maya civilization?

The answer

The Classic Maya collapse, occurring roughly between 800 and 1000 CE, saw the abandonment of major cities across the southern lowlands of Guatemala, Belize, and Mexico. For decades, drought was the dominant explanation, supported by stalagmite and lake sediment records showing severe dry periods around 820 and 870 CE. However, modern research reveals a more complex picture. A 2022 study in Nature Human Behaviour analyzed 16 Maya polities individually and found that political fragmentation, warfare between rival kingdoms (documented in deciphered inscriptions), deforestation reducing rainfall, and overexploitation of soils all interacted with drought. Importantly, northern Maya cities like Chichén Itzá thrived during this period, meaning the "collapse" was regional, not universal, and the Maya people never disappeared.