The Rise & Fall of the Maya Civilization

Archaeologists make a remarkable discovery that challenges existing beliefs about the origins of the great Maya civilisation when they discover an ancient monumental structure that's more than 3000 years old.

New evidence unearthed in Mexico's Yucatán begins to transform long-held beliefs about the growth of the great Maya civilisation.

Evidence of man-made reservoirs and toxic contaminants, and clues of battles and monumental pressure paint a picture of the Maya's downfall.

While the arrival of the Spaniards in the 16th century triggered a series of wars that caused the abandonment of the great Maya cities, evidence suggests that the Maya never disappeared and their civilisation never fell.