UC Santa Barbara News Release

UCSB Archaeologist Disputes Common Belief About Collapse of Maya
Civilization 

For decades, the Maya –– and their descendents –– have gotten a bad rap from archaeologists, anthropologists, and other scholars who cite the ancient civilization's agricultural practices for its eventual collapse. However, research conducted by Anabel Ford, an archaeologist at UC Santa Barbara and director of the university's MesoAmerican Research Center, suggests the contrary may be true –– that the forest gardens cultivated by the Maya demonstrate their great appreciation for the environment.