The Wari People had an Awesome Sendoff (c. 1000 CE)
The Wari people of pre-Inca South America saw the signs of decline in their civilization. There is no solid record of when, how, or why their civilization faltered. But instead of just jumping ship and moving on quietly, they celebrated the end of their way of life with a party to end all parties. The alcohol alone required the construction of a special brewery.
It could produce a thousand liters of chicha every day. This was enough to serve hundreds in one sitting. But once the revelries were over, the Wari opted to mark ‘closing time’ with a huge bonfire. The fuel for the fire was the brewery itself. They lit it on fire, and tossed their cups and jugs into the embers.
