Methods and future directions for paleoclimatology in the Maya Lowlands

摘要: A growing body of paleoclimate data indicates that periods severe drought affected the Maya Lowlands southeastern Mexico and northern Central America, especially during Terminal Classic period (ca. 800–950 CE), raising possibility climate change contributed to widespread collapse many polities at time. broad range proxy methods have been applied in derived from these are sometimes challenging for archeologists other non-specialists interpret. This paper reviews principal used inference region rationale interpretation help researchers working make sense datasets. In particular, we focus on analyses speleothems lake sediment cores. These two archives most widely greatest potential provide insights into impacts ancient Maya. We discuss development chronologies archives, proxies past found within them, how variables interpreted. Finally, present strategies improving our understanding Lowlands, including multi-proxy analyses, assessment spatial variability change, combined analysis models data, integration paleoclimatology archeology.