All civilizations evolve in the same way: They start out small. Then the ones who become "civilizations" discover something new that they can take advantage of -- a new way of intensive farming, like irrigation; a new set of weapons and new strategies of warfare; particular trade items that they can monopolize; or some other strategy that brings in loads of goods and "wealth" (goods way beyond their personal needs).

WHOOSH! Suddenly these groups announce their arrival at 'civilization' by becomming spendthrifts in spectacular style -- they conspicuously consume their wealth in outrageous public displays in temples, palaces, offerings, burials, and so on, like Temple 1 at Tikal, Guatemala, a temple festooned with elaborate burials, offerings, and more built in the Late Classic period of the Classic Maya Civilization -- A.D. 550-820 -- in the middle of the yucatan Penninsula.

But then . . .