The Mayan Civilization was one of the largest and most advanced ever to exist in the western hemisphere, reaching its zenith in the 6th century, after which it rapidly and mysteriously declined causing much debate among archaelogists. Now, research co-authored by Dr André Droxler from Rice University in Texas has found rock samples and sediment inside Belize's 'Blue Hole' that suggest drought caused the civilization's decline. 

Live Science reports, "Minerals taken from Belize's famous underwater cave, known as the Blue Hole, as well as lagoons nearby, show that an extreme drought occurred between A.D. 800 and A.D. 900, right when the Mayan civilization disintegrated. After the rains returned, the Mayans moved north - but they disappeared again a few centuries later, and that disappearance occurred at the same time as another dry spell, the sediments reveal."

The Mayan empire stretched from Guatemala and areas of Beliexe to the Yucatan Penisula, parts of Mexico, as well as areas of El Salvador and Honduras. Today, five million people in the region still speak over 70 Mayan languages.

The Daily Mail reports, "Using oxygen isotope dating in 0.004-inch (0.1mm) increments along the length of the stalagmite, the scientists uncovered a physical record of rainfall over the past 2,000 years.Combined, the stalagmite and hieroglyphs allowed the researchers to link precipitation to politics. They say a climate reversal and drying trend between 660 and 1000 AD triggered political competition, increased warfare, overall sociopolitical instability, and finally, political collapse - known as the Classic Maya Collapse."

After their first disaperance, rains returned in the year 900 C.E., rains began to return to the region, causing the remainder of the Mayans to migrate north, only to disappear again due to another exteneded drought and the fall of Chichen Itza . The cause of this decline has long been hotly debated, as no conclusive evidence of war, natural disaster, or disease could be found.

The Great Blue Hole is a sinkhole off the coast of Belize that is 984 feet across and 407ft deep. When there is more rain, more sediment ends up in the hole. When there is less rainfall a the ration of titanum to aluminum becomes lower and indicates drought. 

'It's like a big bucket. It's a sediment trap,' Dr Droxler told Live Science.