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
31
(Kingdom of Kaffa)
1798 CE 1897 CE
3
3
None
32
(Western Jin)
Full Year Range of Western Jin is assumed.
[265, 317]
6
6
None
33
(Japan - Final Jomon)
Full Year Range of Japan - Final Jomon is assumed.
[-1200, -300]
1
2
None
34
(Early A'chik)
Full Year Range of Early A'chik is assumed.
[1775, 1867]
2
2
None
35
(Anglo-Saxon England II)
Full Year Range of Anglo-Saxon England II is assumed.
[927, 1065]
5
5
None
36
(Late Tiwanaku)
Full Year Range of Late Tiwanaku is assumed.
[800, 1149]
4
4
None
37
(Mataram Sultanate)
Full Year Range of Mataram Sultanate is assumed.
[1568, 1703]
3
3
None
38
(Ashanti Empire)
Full Year Range of Ashanti Empire is assumed.
[1701, 1895]
4
4
None
39
(Early United Mexican States)
Full Year Range of Early United Mexican States is assumed.
[1810, 1920]
6
6
None
40
(Inca Empire)
Full Year Range of Inca Empire is assumed.
[1375, 1532]
5
5
None
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