Calakmul: Agent Risk and Sustainability in the Western Maya Lowlands (Chapter 8)

Research reveals that the Calakmul corridor, traversing the Yucatan Peninsula through the Candelaria River, was the more efficient transit route for trade and political movement during the Maya Lowlands' history. Unlike the southern Tikal corridor, which faced prolonged conflict due to Teotihuacan's involvement, Calakmul offered a strategic advantage shaped by topography, politics, and climate. The study traces centuries of conflict involving the Kaan Dynasty, highlighting parallels with Europe's Rhône River corridor under similar synoptic climate systems. These findings suggest that the Calakmul system serves as a model for understanding the rise and decline of global economic systems, offering insights into warfare, sustainable design, and climate engineering through the lens of information transfer scales.

Gunn, J. D., Folan, W. J., Isendahl, C., Carrasco, M. d. R. D., Faust, B. B., & Volta, B. (2014). 8 Calakmul: Agent Risk and Sustainability in the Western Maya Lowlands. Archaeological Papers of the American Anthropological Association, 24(1), 101–123. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/apaa.12032