Government Reasons

Low and behold, yet another theory to the collapse. The Mayan priests were very important figures to the Maya, so they ran the government, ruled cities, led ceremonies, and perfomed many of jobs.

Lord Pacal was the most famous of the Mayan rulers. His story is not unlike King Tut from Egypt. Pacal became king at age 6, legally taking the throne at age 12. He was priest/ruler/king for about 50 years before he died. He was discovered wearing a jade death mask in his tomb.

"Other important facts:

• Only priests/rulers/kings were allowed to be in the temples.
• The priests lived in huge palaces.
• Priests in small villages were the godfathers and assisted in births.
• Priests led ceremonies like ch'acak to please the gods." (http://www.kidsnewsroom.org/elmer/infoCentral/frameset/civilizations/maya/gov/index.html)

Everday, priests would perform services after climbing the lengthy temple steps. "Maya priests might have caused the collapse of the Maya when the lesser Mayas (farmers) got tired of having to obey the commands of the priests and abandoned the cities." (http://www.kidsnewsroom.org/elmer/infoCentral/frameset/civilizations/maya/gov/index.html).

Personally, I think this could have irrated the Maya, but I doubt the Mayan left their homes just because they got tired of walking up to temple everyday.