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
111
(Konya Plain - Late Chalcolithic)
Full Year Range of Konya Plain - Late Chalcolithic is assumed.
[-5500, -3000]
2
3
None
112
(East Roman Empire)
Full Year Range of East Roman Empire is assumed.
[395, 631]
6
6
None
113
(Magadha - Sunga Empire)
Full Year Range of Magadha - Sunga Empire is assumed.
[-187, -65]
4
4
None
114
(Neo-Assyrian Empire)
Full Year Range of Neo-Assyrian Empire is assumed.
[-911, -612]
6
6
None
115
(Southern Mesopotamia Neolithic)
Full Year Range of Southern Mesopotamia Neolithic is assumed.
[-9000, -5501]
1
2
None
116
(Kingdom of the Huns)
Full Year Range of Kingdom of the Huns is assumed.
[376, 469]
2
2
None
117
(Kingdom of Bohemia - Luxembourgian and Jagiellonian Dynasty)
Full Year Range of Kingdom of Bohemia - Luxembourgian and Jagiellonian Dynasty is assumed.
[1310, 1526]
5
5
None
118
(Susa I)
Full Year Range of Susa I is assumed.
[-4300, -3800]
2
3
None
119
(Kingdom of Lydia)
Full Year Range of Kingdom of Lydia is assumed.
[-670, -546]
3
5
None
120
(Late Shang)
Full Year Range of Late Shang is assumed.
[-1250, -1045]
3
3
None
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