Part 10/10:
As great cities succumbed to neglect, the people were not lost but rather transformed. Many Maya populations retreated into self-sufficient communities, adapting to changed realities. By 900 CE, major centers of Maya power had all but ceased to exist, but remnants of their culture and descendants persisted, living on in different capacities throughout Central America.
In essence, the demise of the Maya civilization serves as a cautionary tale regarding environmental sustainability, social structure, and the consequences of neglecting the needs of the many in favor of the few. Their legacy endures through towering ruins reclaimed by the jungle, intriguing both scholars and visitors alike, as a symbol of a once-mighty civilization and a reminder of the fragility of human achievement.