Speech, art, rituals, status symbols, and writing-all are characteristic of cultures and convey detailed information about them. Some like to think that ancient societies were more idealistic, but archaeologists have found that the evolution of political systems throughout human history is based on motives that seem remarkably contemporary. This episode reveals the different methods archaeologists use to study how rulers gain and keep power. Realms Governments thrive and weaken. Rulers make alliances with each other, and then break them and go to war.
Borders move as capitals rise and fall.
Detecting actual borders of ancient kingdoms is often impossible, but archaeologists can reconstruct much about the internal workings of societies and their external relations by examining marriage alliances, trade and warfare. In all cultures, people turn to religion for comfort, for guidance, for an explanation of spiritual continuities beyond life and death. Ritual behavior, and sacred spaces and objects give form to religious meanings, and archaeologists are challenged to detect the spiritual significance of what they find and interpret it properly. At times religion and ideology have been used for cynical purposes, and the archaeologist is challenged to detect theses uses, as well. In this episode we consider various settings of collapse, particularly that of the Maya of Central America.