In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the final years of Piedras Negras, a powerful Maya city on the Usumacinta River that fell silent around 810 CE. They discuss the city's rise under kings like Ruler 4 and Ruler 7, the construction of its famous Acropolis and temples, and the evidence for its sudden abandonment. Drawing on recent archaeological work from Penn State and the Proyecto Piedras Negras, Lucas highlights the discovery of mass graves in the Acropolis and the lack of typical drought adaptations like chultunes. The episode questions whether an internal revolt or external invasion caused the collapse, contrasting Piedras Negras with its rival Yaxchilan. The hosts also consider the role of inter-elite conflict and the final stela erected in the city before it was reclaimed by the jungle.
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