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
71
(Post-Mauryan Kingdoms)
Full Year Range of Post-Mauryan Kingdoms is assumed.
[-205, -101]
2
4
None
72
(Papal States - High Medieval Period)
Full Year Range of Papal States - High Medieval Period is assumed.
[1198, 1309]
4
4
None
73
(Early Wei Dynasty)
Full Year Range of Early Wei Dynasty is assumed.
[-445, -225]
4
5
None
74
(Elam - Early Sukkalmah)
Full Year Range of Elam - Early Sukkalmah is assumed.
[-1900, -1701]
3
5
None
75
(Hawaii I)
Full Year Range of Hawaii I is assumed.
[1000, 1200]
1
1
None
76
(Latium - Iron Age)
Full Year Range of Latium - Iron Age is assumed.
[-1000, -580]
1
1
None
77
(Latium - Bronze Age)
Full Year Range of Latium - Bronze Age is assumed.
[-1800, -900]
1
1
None
78
(Tang Dynasty I)
Full Year Range of Tang Dynasty I is assumed.
[617, 763]
6
6
None
79
(Sui Dynasty)
Full Year Range of Sui Dynasty is assumed.
[581, 618]
3
5
None
80
(Sasanid Empire I)
Full Year Range of Sasanid Empire I is assumed.
[205, 487]
5
6
None
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