9 Lost Human Civilizations, Anything?

Posted On: March 3, 2023

KOMPAS.com – Throughout human history, various great civilizations have been built, developed, and some did not even survive and collapsed.

Some civilizations that have collapsed are well documented by historians and are able to trace their rise and fall.

However, some civilizations seem to have suddenly disappeared without leaving any clues as to the factors that led to their downfall.

Here are some human civilizations that grew and then disappeared:

1. Mayan civilization

iStockphoto/IR_Stone

illustration of maya civilization, lost civilization.

reported from BritishAt its height, the Maya Empire included the entire Yucatán Peninsula, present-day Guatemala, Belize, and parts of Mexico.

The vast area made the Mayan Empire one of the most dominant civilizations of its time and quite advanced.

The Mayan civilization seemed unable to survive and declined around AD 900.

Archaeologists suspect the civilization fell victim to war coupled with climate change which led to famine and forced exodus.

2. The Khmer Empire

In other parts of the world, there is a civilization of the Khmer Empire whose territory covers the whole of Cambodia.

Angkor became one of the greatest cities of civilization, with an extensive network of roads and canals. The population is estimated at one million people.

The Khmer Empire reached its height between 1000 and 1200 AD, and scholars are unsure what caused the civilization to die out.

There is a theory that the civilization of the Khmer Empire collapsed as a result of wars and environmental disasters.

3. Easter Island

iStockphoto/leonard78uk

Illustration of Easter Island, Lost Civilization.

Easter Island or Easter Island, whose real name is Rapa Nui, is famous for the large stone-headed statues that adorn its shores.

Easter Island is home to the Polynesian civilization that first inhabited the island around 700 AD.

Polynesia developed quite quickly, its inhabitants being skilful maritime navigators.

Some believe that the lack of natural resources caused the decline of the civilization of Easter Island. In addition, it is believed that disease outbreak factors also play a role.

4. Indus Civilization

The Indus civilization or Harappa civilization was one of the greatest in ancient history.

This civilization extends over parts of India, Pakistan and Afghanistan, whose population is estimated at five million people.

At its height, the Indus Civilization had some of the most impressive architecture in the world. However, this civilization disappeared about 3,000 years ago for unknown reasons.

One theory is that the demise of the Indus Civilization was the result of climate change which led to drought and famine.

5. The Çatalhöyük civilization

iStockphoto/minemero

illustration of Çatalhöyük ancient sites, lost civilizations.

Çatalhöyük is one of the oldest cities in the world located in Turkey. The city was part of a vast civilization that flourished between 9,000 and 7,000 years ago.

What makes the Çatalhöyük archaeological site unique is its nest-like structure. The houses were built next to each other and entered through a hole in the roof.

This civilization then suddenly disappeared. People left leaving behind many objects detailing their life processes and ritual activities.

6. Civilization of Mississippi

From AD 700 until European settlement, most of the continents of Southeast and Central America were home to an agricultural civilization known as the Mississippian.

One of their largest towns, Cahokia, was located near what is now the town of Collinsville, Illinois. The population of the city of Cahokia is estimated to be 40,000 people.

Like other lost civilizations, experts don’t know exactly what caused the gradual disappearance of the people of Mississippi.

Popular theory says that deaths are due to environmental degradation, hunger and disease from poor sanitation.

7. Anasazi Civilization

iStockphoto/bboserup

illustration of lost civilization.

reported from historyin what is now the Four Corners region of the United States of America, the Anasazi built cliffside dwellings in the 12th and 13th centuries.

However, the cliff dwelling was not occupied for a long time. Researchers have found signs of carnage and cannibalism.

Evidence of water management issues and long-term droughts that crippled this civilization has also been found.

Apart from this, religious and political upheavals are also believed to have been a factor in the Anasazis leaving their homeland in 1300 AD.

8. The Cahokia Civilization

Indigenous villages began to emerge around 1,200 years ago in the fertile river valleys of Southeast and Midwest America.

By far the largest was Cahokia, which at its peak had a population of up to 20,000.

Cahokia was surrounded by a high wooden rampart and had many plazas and at least 120 earthen mounds.

The largest is known as the Monks Mound, standing 30.5 meters tall and estimated to have used around 14 million earthen baskets.

9. Greenlandic Vikings

According to Icelandic folklore, Erik the Red led a fleet of 25 ships to colonize Greenland around 985 AD.

They founded two colonies, a large eastern colony and a smaller western colony.

In 1721, a missionary expedition came there with the aim of converting the population to Protestantism.

However, having arrived there, the missionaries found only ruins. Some experts believe the locals packed their bags and headed back to Iceland or Scandinavia.

While other theories suggest they died of starvation, plague or extermination by the Inuit, who arrived in Greenland from Canada around 1200 AD

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