07-02-10 Why did the Sumerian civilization, considered the first of humankind, collapse? What was the secret of Easter Island, well-known for its mysterious giant stone statues? This book raises the question of whether civilization itself might become another, and far greater, trap, and examines the causes of the disappearance of brilliant civilizations in human history. It argues that Sumer and Easter Island, among others, collapsed on their own due to "development beyond its limits." The