The so-called “Maya collapse” in southern Mexico, during the Terminal Classic period (A.D. 800-1100), has been given many interpretations. Some of the recent ones emphasize ecological and climate related causes and the “Maya collapse” has been seen as a warning example of how fragile both environment and society are. In light of the contemporary climate debate it is important to show that from a historical/archaeological context this catastrophism is highly problematic. Although there is evidence that drier periods have occurred, the palaeoclimatic models have flaws and one of them is the lack of socio-political and religious perspectives of past societies. Since the effects of climate changes on society in the Maya area are based on modern and Colonial analogies, it must be noted that the Europeans had a serious impact on the Maya area. This research shall focus on a little known border area of European control (1544-1812). From the indigenous perspective, this border appears to have been fluid, but less so for the Spaniards that were tied to their agricultural strategies they had brought over from Europe.

        

The objective of this research is twofold; (1) to investigate the European impact on indigenous strategies during climatic changes in the Cochuah region in southern
Mexico and (2) why the Spanish empire was unable to expand its control across the Chicxulub fracture zone, formed by an asteroid impact 65 million years ago.