Explore great ancient Maya cities and why their inhabitants abandoned them.

Ancient Maya Metropolis NOVA

Premiered January 26, 2022
Ancient Maya Metropolis

The ancient ancestors of today’s Maya people thrived in large sophisticated cities across Central America for centuries. Why, around 750 CE, did they begin to abandon many of their major cities? Archaeologists investigate dramatic new evidence of the catastrophic droughts and instability that pushed cities beyond their limits.

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