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
41
(Kalingga Kingdom)
Full Year Range of Kalingga Kingdom is assumed.
[500, 732]
1
2
None
42
(Kingdom of Norway II)
Full Year Range of Kingdom of Norway II is assumed.
[1262, 1396]
3
3
None
43
(Epiclassic Basin of Mexico)
Full Year Range of Epiclassic Basin of Mexico is assumed.
[650, 899]
3
3
None
44
(Iban - Brooke Raj and Colonial)
Full Year Range of Iban - Brooke Raj and Colonial is assumed.
[1841, 1987]
1
2
None
45
(Akan - Pre-Ashanti)
Full Year Range of Akan - Pre-Ashanti is assumed.
[1501, 1701]
3
3
None
46
(Kushan Empire)
Full Year Range of Kushan Empire is assumed.
[35, 319]
4
5
None
47
(Yangshao)
Full Year Range of Yangshao is assumed.
[-5000, -3000]
2
3
None
48
(Western Zhou)
Full Year Range of Western Zhou is assumed.
[-1122, -771]
5
5
None
49
(Shuar - Ecuadorian)
Full Year Range of Shuar - Ecuadorian is assumed.
[1831, 1931]
1
1
None
50
(Late Xiongnu)
Full Year Range of Late Xiongnu is assumed.
[-60, 100]
2
3
None
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