Archaeologists have long debated the demise of the ancient city of Angkor. While some attribute its fall to foreign invasion, recent research by Dan Penny and colleagues highlights the role of infrastructure failure, specifically the breakdown of the city's complex water management network due to extreme monsoon variations. They analyzed sediment cores and found evidence of rapid sedimentation and clogged canals coinciding with the city's decline. However, they also noted that smaller settlements with similar but less complex water systems in the same region thrived long after Angkor was abandoned.
Which finding, if true, would most directly undermine Penny and his colleagues’ hypothesis as described?
Inscriptions found at Angkor describe a massive labor strike that halted maintenance of the canal systems just prior to the collapse.
The smaller settlements that survived were located on higher ground that was naturally protected from flooding.
Sediment analysis from the canals of the surviving smaller settlements shows the same levels of blockage and failure as those in Angkor.
Excavations reveal that the foreign invaders mentioned in early theories had actually established trade routes with Angkor.
Correct Answer: C
Choice C is the best answer. Penny’s hypothesis attributes the collapse of Angkor to the failure of its complex water system. To undermine this, one must show that water system failure was not the deciding factor. If smaller settlements had the same level of water system failure (blockage) but survived, it implies that the water system failure itself was not the primary cause of the collapse.
Choice A is incorrect because a labor strike leading to maintenance failure would explain why the system failed, supporting the idea that infrastructure breakdown led to collapse. Choice B is incorrect because if survivors had better natural protection (higher ground), it supports the idea that Angkor collapsed because it lacked that protection against the water issues. Choice D is incorrect because trade relationships do not directly address the hypothesis regarding infrastructure failure vs. climate.