The comparative archaeology of complex societies / edited by Michael E. Smith.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Smith, Michael Ernest, 1953-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Social archaeology.

Social groups.

Complex organizations.

Physical Description:

xxii, 334 pages : illustrations, maps ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

New York : Cambridge University Press, 2012.

Summary:

"Eleven leading archeologists describe their research on ancient empires, states, and chiefdoms using a comparative perspective. By making comparisons among sites, regions, and artifacts, these scholars produce new understanding of diverse specific cases, from the towering ruins of Angkor to the houses of Inca peasants. The reader learns about the political strategies of kings and chiefs, the daily choices of ordinary households, and the creative ways in which ancient peoples built their cities and shaped their landscapes. In the process, these chapters illustrate how to do comparative analysis using archeological data"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Chapter 1 Compreative Archaeology: A Commitment to Understanding Variation / Robert D. Drennan Drennan, Robert D., Timothy Earle Earle, Timothy, Gary M. Feinman Feinman, Gary M., Roland Fletcher Fletcher, Roland, Michael J. Kolb Kolb, Michael J., Peter Peregrine Peregrine, Peter, Christian E. Peterson Peterson, Christian E., Carla Sinopoli Sinopoli, Carla, Michael E. Smith Smith, Michael E., Monica L. Smith Smith, Monica L., Barbara L. Stark Stark, Barbara L., Miriam T. Stark Stark, Miriam T. 1

Chapter 2 Approaches to Comparative Analysis in Archaeology / Michael E. Smith Smith, Michael E., Peter Peregrine Peregrine, Peter 4

Chapter 3 Comparative Frames for the Diachronic Analysis of Complex Societies: Next Steps / GaryM. Feinman Feinman, GaryM. 21

Chapter 4 What it takes to get Complex: Food, Goods, and work as shared Cultural Ideals from the Beginning of Sedentism / Monica L. Smith Smith, Monica L. 44

Chapter 5 Challenges for Comparative Study of Early Complex Societies / Robert D. Drennan Drennan, Robert D., Christian E. Peterson Peterson, Christian E. 62

Chapter 6 Patterned Variation in Regional Trajectories of Community Growth / Christian E. Peterson Peterson, Christian E., RobertD. Drennan Drennan, RobertD. 88

Chapter 7 The Genesis of Monuments in Island Societies / Michael J. Kolb Kolb, Michael J. 138

Chapter 8 Power and Legitimation: Political Strategies, Typology, and Cultural Evolution / Peter Peregrine Peregrine, Peter 165

Chapter 9 The Strategies of Provincials in Empires / Barbara L. Stark Stark, Barbara L., John K. Chance Chance, John K. 192

Chapter 10 Household Economies under the Aztec and Inka Empires: A Comparison / Timothy Earle Earle, Timothy, Michael E. Srnith Srnith, Michael E. 238

Chapter 11 Low-Density, Agratian-Based Urbanism: Scale, Power, and Ecology / Roland Fletcher Fletcher, Roland 285

Chapter 12 Archaeology, Early Complex Societies, and Comparative Social Science History / Michael E. Smith Smith, Michael E. 321.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780521197915

0521197910

9780521142120

0521142121

OCLC:

710045190