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Thanks to advances in the "archaeology of social phenomena", we now have four simple equations capable not only of shedding light on the mechanisms of the collapse of past and present civilizations, but also of explaining them. There are five fundamental parameters involved in this process: the available resources, the population represented, the relative wealth expressing the state of the economy, the internal social conflict, and the risk of war or external conflict. Using empirical evidence from the emblematic case of Teotihuacan, we illustrate the mechanisms that led to its final decline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nomothetic nature of the "archaeology of social phenomena" makes it possible to formulate new laws. The "law of collapse of civilizations" holds that societies collapse when internal and/or external conflict is very high in a context of acute economic crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thanks to the affinity between conflict and entropy, the famous Ludwig Boltzmann's equation can be adapted to the mortuary context of the archaeology of social phenomena to measure the impact of that social parameter and the collapse risk within an ancient civilization. The example of pre-Hispanic Mesoamerica is used to demonstrate it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Application of the contextual valuation method to the mortuary analysis of Uaxactun, Guatemala and Barton Ramie, Belize provides irrefutable evidence on the Classic Maya collapse recorded in the grave goods of these burials. This confirms what was already anticipated by studying the Balsas River basin in Mexico. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By applying the contextual valuation method to the analysis of the mortuary record in the Balsas River basin, Mexico, we can isolate the prehispanic economic fluctuations and social changes encoded in the composition of grave goods. Among the relevant results obtained, highlights that the collapse of ancient Mesoamerican civilizations (Teotihuacan, Monte Alban and the Maya Classic) appears perfectly reflected in the offerings of Late Classic burials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]