Archaeology in Action: Reinterpreting a Maya Mystery

Join us for our flagship virtual lecture series, where leading experts share cutting-edge research and groundbreaking discoveries. Designed for history enthusiasts, students, educators, and lifelong learners, the series shows how the ever-evolving field of archaeology continuously expands our understanding of the human experience.

For nearly a century, scholars attributed the dramatic transformation of Chichen Itza in the 10th century to a foreign invasion from Central Mexico. However, scholars over the past 30 years have overturned that interpretation, arguing that it was instead an entirely homegrown revolution by the Maya. In this lecture, Dr. Simon Martin draws on fieldwork, art history, epigraphy, and material studies to make a complete reassessment of the question, pulling apart both perspectives to offer a modern, better-grounded story for this mysterious Maya city.