6 Lost Civilizations

At its height, the Maya empire extended throughout the Yucatán Peninsula, modern-day Guatemala, Belize, and parts of Mexico, making it one of the most dominant civilizations of its time. The Maya were quite advanced, demonstrating remarkable engineering skills and employing complex mathematics. The civilization appeared unable to sustain itself and experienced a dramatic decline about 900 CE. Archeologists now believe that the Maya were victims of ongoing war coupled with climate change that resulted in famine, forcing an exodus from their largest cities. Decimation of the countryside, resulting in diminishing resources, may also have played a role.

On the other side of the world, the Khmer empire had spread across modern-day Cambodia. Angkor was one of the civilization’s largest cities, with an extensive system of roads and canals and an estimated population of as many as one million people. The Khmer empire was at its height between 1000 and 1200 CE, and experts are unsure what caused the civilization to disappear, leaving its cities at the mercy of the relentless jungle. Theories range from war to environmental catastrophe.

The Indus civilization, also known as the Harappan civilization, was one of the largest in ancient history, extending over parts of India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan and containing as many as five million people. At its height, the civilization boasted some of the world’s most impressive architecture, among other achievements. It disappeared approximately 3,000 years ago for reasons unknown. One theory suggests that it fell victim to climate change that resulted in drought and famine.

Famous for the massive stone heads that line its coast, Easter Island (Rapa Nui) was home to a thriving Polynesian civilization that first settled the island about 700 CE. Its residents were skilled navigators of the sea and demonstrated other advanced abilities. Some speculate that diminishing natural resources may have led to the civilization’s decline. Disease and other factors may also have played a role.

Modern-day south-central Turkey was once home to one of the world’s oldest cities: Çatalhöyük. It was part of an extensive civilization that flourished between 9,000 and 7,000 years ago and then suddenly disappeared. What made Çatalhöyük unique was its hivelike structure—houses were constructed next to each other and entered through holes in the roof, accessed via ladders and aerial walkways. Though the people are long gone, they left behind a wealth of items detailing their lives and rituals.

From about 700 CE until European contact and colonization, much of the American Southeast and mid-continent was home to an agrarian civilization known as the Mississippians. One of their largest cities, Cahokia, was located near modern-day Collinsville, Illinois. Estimated at six square miles, Cahokia featured a massive central plaza, large earthen pyramids, and wood structures similar in shape to Stonehenge that were used to track the stars. Some estimate the population of Cahokia at 40,000, with many living in villages outside the main city. As with other lost civilizations, experts don’t know with certainty what led to the gradual demise of the Mississippians. Popular theories suggest that the decline was the result of environmental degradation or of famine and disease resulting from poor sanitation.