Catastrophic earthquakes may have been responsible for the collapse of many civilizations throughout human history, from the ancient city of Troy (modern-day Turkey) to the Maya civilization in Central America. This hypothesis was presented by scientists yesterday at a meeting of the American Geophysical Union.
Amos Nur, a physics professor at Stanford University, stated, “We believe that natural disasters, particularly earthquakes, have played a significant role in the mysterious disappearance of many civilizations.”
Previously, hypotheses centered around a mysterious group of pirates known as the “Sea People.” They are believed to have swept through the region, pillaging and destroying major cities.
Nur has developed an entirely different theory. While studying the eastern Mediterranean region at the end of the Bronze Age, he suggested that a major earthquake may have been the primary cause behind the disappearance of several cities including Troy, Mycenae, and Knossos. These cities were wiped off the map between 1225 and 1175 BC.
Did the Maya share a similar fate?
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Ancient Harappan Remains |
Other scientists from the American Geophysical Union have extended this hypothesis further. They propose that historical earthquakes could have also led to the downfall of other civilizations, from the Harappan civilization in the Indus Valley (India) to the Maya in Central America.
The Harappan civilization, which thrived for 2000 years in the Indus River region, suddenly vanished around 1900 BC. This mysterious disappearance has been attributed to countless possible causes over the years, from changes in trade routes to invasions by Aryan forces from the north.
However, Nur and his colleague Prasad, upon examining seismic history, noted that devastating earthquakes struck the coastal region near the border between India and Pakistan. According to their hypothesis, one or more significant tremors may have caused shifts in the Earth’s crust, blocking the flow of a major river in the area. Agricultural production was disrupted, severe flooding occurred, and eventually, cities were buried under mud.
A similar scenario may have unfolded for the Maya civilization in Central America: the cities of Quirigua (modern-day eastern Guatemala) and Benque Viejo, which were cultural centers of the Maya during their peak, abruptly disappeared by the end of the 9th century AD. Geophysicist Robert Kovach argues that an earthquake may have leveled both cities.
The challenge lies in accurately locating the geological faults that have historically destroyed civilizations. Time has healed the Earth’s crust and blurred many traces. However, Nur believes that with modern seismic measuring equipment, combined with historical human documentation, they will ultimately be able to prove the impact that earthquakes have had on various civilizations.
B.H. (according to Reuters)
