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
101
(Cuzco - Late Intermediate II)
Full Year Range of Cuzco - Late Intermediate II is assumed.
[1250, 1400]
4
4
None
102
(Orokaiva - Pre-Colonial)
Full Year Range of Orokaiva - Pre-Colonial is assumed.
[1734, 1883]
1
1
None
103
(Orokaiva - Colonial)
Full Year Range of Orokaiva - Colonial is assumed.
[1884, 1942]
1
1
None
104
(Kachi Plain - Ceramic Neolithic)
Full Year Range of Kachi Plain - Ceramic Neolithic is assumed.
[-5500, -4000]
1
2
None
105
(Sakha - Early)
Full Year Range of Sakha - Early is assumed.
[1400, 1632]
1
1
None
106
(Sakha - Late)
Full Year Range of Sakha - Late is assumed.
[1632, 1900]
1
1
None
107
(Egypt - Kushite Period)
Full Year Range of Egypt - Kushite Period is assumed.
[-747, -656]
4
5
None
108
(Ayutthaya)
Full Year Range of Ayutthaya is assumed.
[1593, 1767]
4
4
None
109
(Konya Plain - Early Bronze Age)
Full Year Range of Konya Plain - Early Bronze Age is assumed.
[-3000, -2000]
2
2
None
110
(Susa I)
Full Year Range of Susa I is assumed.
[-4300, -3800]
2
3
None
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