# What was the principal cause of the end of the Late Bronze Age palace system in the eastern Mediterranean? · Late Bronze Age collapse > Six answers have been proposed. Drought and cooling, with extreme multi-year droughts, caused harvest failure and famine that the palace… leads, with… Source: https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/bronze-age-collapse/questions/QST0D464MS26SDY/what-was-the-principal-cause-of-the-end-of-the-late-bronze Publisher: Mysteries Department Licence: CC BY 4.0 (credit Mysteries Department and link the page) Updated: 2026-10-26T11:56:58+00:00 --- **0** # What was the principal cause of the end of the Late Bronze Age palace system in the eastern Mediterranean? Asked 26 Oct 2026 by [**apollo** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/u/apollo)·6 answers·0·0 following **Most likely: no single cause; several stresses (climate, famine, migration, war, earthquakes, internal unrest) struck…** Ahead on the evidence, not yet confirmed. It needs two reviews to be accepted. ## Where it stands Six answers have been proposed. Drought and cooling, with extreme multi-year droughts, caused harvest failure and famine that the palace… leads, with evidence 3 for, 2 against: partly supported by its tests. Five are still possible. Of the three narrower questions under it, none is answered yet. ## Why it matters This is the question the field has argued for a century. Each reading implies a different sequence of events and a different kind of evidence, and the recent climate records have shifted the balance without closing it⁠[[1]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D464BZT04YP/crisis-in-context-the-end-of-the-late-bronze-age-in-the)⁠[[2]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D4649224SDR/severe-multi-year-drought-coincident-with-hittite-collapse). ## Answers 6 [**Drought and cooling, with extreme multi-year droughts, caused harvest failure and famine that the palace…** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/bronze-age-collapse/answers/ANS0D464P7Y1K2G/drought-and-cooling-with-extreme-multi-year-droughts-caused) Partly supported by its tests Evidence: 3 for, 2 against Most likely [**Internal political and social conflict (dynastic struggle, revolt, the weakening of central authority)…** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/bronze-age-collapse/answers/ANS0D464T4Y5K57/internal-political-and-social-conflict-dynastic-struggle) Partly supported by its tests Evidence: 1 for Most likely [**No single cause; several stresses (climate, famine, migration, war, earthquakes, internal unrest) struck…** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/bronze-age-collapse/answers/ANS0D464SDG4GN6/no-single-cause-several-stresses-climate-famine-migration) Supported by its tests Evidence: 2 for Most likely [**A sequence of major earthquakes destroyed the palaces and cities.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/bronze-age-collapse/answers/ANS0D464RP26BGD/a-sequence-of-major-earthquakes-destroyed-the-palaces-and) Failed a test; not refuted outright Evidence: 1 for, 1 against Disputed [**Invading coalitions of seaborne peoples from the Aegean and Anatolia destroyed the cities and states.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/bronze-age-collapse/answers/ANS0D464QPT66GA/invading-coalitions-of-seaborne-peoples-from-the-aegean-and) Failed a test; not refuted outright Evidence: 2 for, 1 against Disputed [**None of these.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/bronze-age-collapse/answers/ANS0D464TMJ1FCB/none-of-these) Not tested enough to call either way Evidence: none yet Still possible [Show 1 more answer] ## History 1. 1936[Edgerton & Wilson puts forward: invading coalitions of seaborne peoples from the Aegean and Anatolia destroyed the cities and states.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D464CZ23GSB/historical-records-of-ramses-iii-the-texts-in-medinet-habu) 1. 1936[Edgerton & Wilson: ramesses III's Year 8 inscription names the confederation and says no land could stand before it.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D464CZ23GSB/historical-records-of-ramses-iii-the-texts-in-medinet-habu)For: Invading coalitions of seaborne peoples from the Aegean and Anatolia destroyed the cities and states. 1. 2000[Nur & Cline puts forward: a sequence of major earthquakes destroyed the palaces and cities.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D464CFE56RK/poseidons-horses-plate-tectonics-and-earthquake-storms-in) 1. 2000[Nur & Cline: the authors themselves call the evidence not conclusive.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D464CFE56RK/poseidons-horses-plate-tectonics-and-earthquake-storms-in)Against: A sequence of major earthquakes destroyed the palaces and cities. 1. 2000[Nur & Cline: nearly all destroyed sites lie in 20th-century zones of strong shaking.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D464CFE56RK/poseidons-horses-plate-tectonics-and-earthquake-storms-in)For: A sequence of major earthquakes destroyed the palaces and cities. 1. 2013[Kaniewski et al. puts forward: drought and cooling, with extreme multi-year droughts, caused harvest failure and famine that the palace…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D4649SG2EN1/environmental-roots-of-the-late-bronze-age-crisis) 1. 2019[Kaniewski et al.: coastal Syria shows a 300-year cool, dry period from about 3200 years ago with winter rain down about 40%.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D464AGY0Y9V/cold-and-dry-outbreaks-in-the-eastern-mediterranean-3200)For: Drought and cooling, with extreme multi-year droughts, caused harvest failure and famine that the palace… 1. 2019[Feldman et al.: early Iron Age Ashkelon carried European-related ancestry not present before.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D464CQ822HT/ancient-dna-sheds-light-on-the-genetic-origins-of-early-iron)For: Invading coalitions of seaborne peoples from the Aegean and Anatolia destroyed the cities and states. 1. 2021[Cline puts forward: no single cause; several stresses (climate, famine, migration, war, earthquakes, internal unrest) struck…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D464C7M25GF/1177-b-c-the-year-civilization-collapsed-revised-and-updated) 1. 2023[Manning et al.: the Gordion tree rings show three consecutive severe dry years about 1198–1196 BC, shortly before the end of…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D4649224SDR/severe-multi-year-drought-coincident-with-hittite-collapse)For: Drought and cooling, with extreme multi-year droughts, caused harvest failure and famine that the palace… 1. 2023[Manning et al.: hattusa was emptied by its own administration and burned later, not destroyed by attack.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D4649224SDR/severe-multi-year-drought-coincident-with-hittite-collapse)Against: Invading coalitions of seaborne peoples from the Aegean and Anatolia destroyed the cities and states. 1. 2023[Manning et al.: the Hittite state faced rivals, usurpers and breakaway regions throughout its history, and its capital was…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D4649224SDR/severe-multi-year-drought-coincident-with-hittite-collapse)For: Internal political and social conflict (dynastic struggle, revolt, the weakening of central authority)… 1. 26 Oct 2026Asked on this site ## Discussion 0 [Add to the discussion](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/bronze-age-collapse/questions/QST0D464MS26SDY/what-was-the-principal-cause-of-the-end-of-the-late-bronze%23discussion) Help with this question [ **Propose an answer** Something the evidence could support or rule out ] [ **Propose an answer** Something the evidence could support or rule out ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/bronze-age-collapse/questions/QST0D464MS26SDY/what-was-the-principal-cause-of-the-end-of-the-late-bronze%23add-answer) [ **Add evidence** A result for or against an answer ] [ **Add evidence** A result for or against an answer ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/bronze-age-collapse/questions/QST0D464MS26SDY/what-was-the-principal-cause-of-the-end-of-the-late-bronze%23add-evidence) [ **Ask a sub-question** A smaller question that would help settle this one ] [ **Ask a sub-question** A smaller question that would help settle this one ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/bronze-age-collapse/questions/QST0D464MS26SDY/what-was-the-principal-cause-of-the-end-of-the-late-bronze%23add-question) [ **Add a source** A paper, archive record or image ] [ **Add a source** A paper, archive record or image ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/bronze-age-collapse/questions/QST0D464MS26SDY/what-was-the-principal-cause-of-the-end-of-the-late-bronze%23add-source) Where it fits Late Bronze Age collapse **What was the principal cause of the end of the Late Bronze Age palace system in the eastern Mediterranean?** Key question · you're here [Did an earthquake storm destroy many of the sites?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/bronze-age-collapse/questions/QST0D464P040RGM/did-an-earthquake-storm-destroy-many-of-the-sites)Most likely · earthquakes played at most a local role [How severe and how widespread was the climate change around 1200 BC?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/bronze-age-collapse/questions/QST0D464NRA16TQ/how-severe-and-how-widespread-was-the-climate-change-around)Most likely · a regional shift to drier, cooler conditions lasting about three centuries [Were the destructions clustered in the years after the 1198–1196 BC drought, or spread over a century?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/bronze-age-collapse/questions/QST0D464N0W57P9/were-the-destructions-clustered-in-the-years-after-the)Most likely · most destructions fall within a few decades after about 1200 BC [ Ask a question under this one ]