The most likely cause of collapse at Tikal is overpopulation and agrarian failure . The fall of Tikal was a blow to the heart of Classic Maya civilization , the city having been at the forefront of courtly life , art and architecture for over a thousand years , with an ancient ruling dynasty . However , new research regarding paleoenvironmental proxies from the Tikal reservoir system suggests that a meteorological drought may have led to the abandonment of Tikal .