Several bead necklaces and an elaborate jade mask of over 200 pieces were found on the remains of one of these people's rulers.
The major cause of the decline of these people was identified as pressure to grow population centers as part of the theory of diminishing marginal returns to social complexity of Joseph Tainter. Several bead necklaces and an elaborate jade mask of over 200 pieces were found on the remains of one of these people's rulers. Giles Healy's discovery of violent paintings in the Temple of the Murals contradicted traditional views that these people were mainly peaceful. Towards the end of this people's Terminal Classic phase, population in their cities (*) dropped drastically, a phenomenon which remains unexplained. The jaws of a serpent appear on tomb of a ruler of these people with the longest known reign in the Western Hemisphere. The shadow cast during the equinox on a step-pyramid built by these people symbolizes that serpent god's descent into the underworld. For 10 points, identify these people whose cities included Palenque, which was ruled by Pacal the Great.
The major cause of the decline of these people was identified as pressure to grow population centers as part of the theory of diminishing marginal returns to social complexity of Joseph Tainter.
Maya [or Mayans; accept specific Maya groups like K'iche Maya; accept Chaco people until "bead necklaces" to give people the benefit of the doubt]