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| Maya vaults were not true arches as the Romans constructed, but were made by gradually narrowing the distance between the two walls and bridging it with capstones. The result was two massive supporting walls converging into a vault construction braced by tremendous amounts of lime cement. These create heavy loads. Without maintenance the cracks and fissures allow water in, and due to gravity they inevitably collapse. |
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This is a photograph of the passageway on the Nohol Trail. If you look closely at the side you can see pieces of the collapsed vault. |