Section: Social Complexity
Subsection: Hierarchical Complexity

Settlement Hierarchy

Talking about hierarchical complexity, settlement hierarchy records (in levels) the hierarchy of not just settlement sizes, but also their complexity as reflected in different roles they play within the (quasi)polity. as settlements become more populous they acquire more complex functions: transportational (e.g. port); economic (e.g. market); administrative (e.g. storehouse, local government building); cultural (e.g. theatre); religious (e.g. temple), utilitarian (e.g. hospital), monumental (e.g. statues, plazas). example: (1) large city (monumental structures, theatre, market, hospital, central government buildings) (2) city (market, theatre, regional government buildings) (3) large town (market, administrative buildings) (4) town (administrative buildings, storehouse)) (5) village (shrine) (6) hamlet (residential only). in the narrative paragraph explain the different levels and list their functions. provide a (crude) estimate of population sizes. for example, large town (market, temple, administrative buildings): 2,000-5,000 inhabitants.   (See here)
Contributors:

Variable Definition
Polity The Seshat Polity ID
Year(s) The years for which we have the data. [negative = BCE]
Tag [Evidenced, Disputed, Suspected, Inferred, Unknown]
Verified A Seshat Expert has approved this piece of data.

Variable Definition
settlement_hierarchy_from The lower range of settlement hierarchy for a polity.
settlement_hierarchy_to The upper range of settlement hierarchy for a polity.

# Polity Year(s) Settlement Hierarchy from Settlement Hierarchy to Description   Edit
91
(Western Turk Khaganate)
Full Year Range of Western Turk Khaganate is assumed.
[582, 630]
2
3
None
92
(Chenla)
Full Year Range of Chenla is assumed.
[550, 825]
3
4
None
93
(Andronovo)
Full Year Range of Andronovo is assumed.
[-1800, -1200]
1
2
None
94
(Saadi Sultanate)
Full Year Range of Saadi Sultanate is assumed.
[1554, 1659]
4
4
None
95
(Tang Dynasty I)
Full Year Range of Tang Dynasty I is assumed.
[617, 763]
6
6
None
96
(Archaic Basin of Mexico)
Full Year Range of Archaic Basin of Mexico is assumed.
[-6000, -2001]
1
1
None
97
(Sui Dynasty)
Full Year Range of Sui Dynasty is assumed.
[581, 618]
3
5
None
98
(Classic Basin of Mexico)
Full Year Range of Classic Basin of Mexico is assumed.
[100, 649]
3
3
None
99
(Sasanid Empire I)
Full Year Range of Sasanid Empire I is assumed.
[205, 487]
5
6
None
100
(Susa I)
Full Year Range of Susa I is assumed.
[-4300, -3800]
2
3
None
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