Ancient Civilizations of the Americas

Lecture 3

Anthropological Concepts

Levels of Sociocultural Integration and Associated Social and Qualitative Attributes

Level Social Structure Leadership Form of Social Status

Family Level bilateral kinship Situational Seniority

network

Level Social Structure Leadership Form of Social Status

 

Segmentary Unranked Lineages Headmen-Bigmen Achieved

Prominent Killers Achieved

Shamans Achieved

 

Qualitative distinctions:

Clan insignia/symbols, clan meeting houses, ancestor veneration including ancestral shrines/tombs, primitive valuables, community craft specialists.

 

Level Social Structure Leadership Form of Social Status

 

Chiefdom Ramage/Conical Clan Chieftains Ascribed

Aristocracy Ascribed

Section Leaders Ascribed

Judges Ascribed

Priests Ascribed

Master Craftsmen Ascribed

 

Qualitative distinctions:

Lineages as basic corporate social grouping, 2-3 tiered administrative settlement hierarchy, chiefdom central place pattern of settlement, circular external boundary, wedge-shaped internal territories, capital set, ancestor veneration including ancestral shrines/tombs, professional genealogists, attached craft specialists, staple finance, sumptuary patterns of consumption, elite sponsorship of religion, elite sponsored community level corporate labor projects, primitive bureaucracy, chiefly demesne territory.

 

Level Social Structure Leadership Form of Social Status

 Primitive State Chiefdoms superceded King Ascribed

by administrators Royal Appointees Achieved

and royal family Aristocracy Ascribed

Chieftains Ascribed

Ranked Priesthood Ascribed

Head of Army Achieved

Judges Ascribed

Master Craftsmen Ascribed

 

Qualitative distinctions:

4 tiered administrative hierarchy, royal capital, royal burials, ritual homicide, professional full-time army, taxes and rent, royal demesne territory, irregularly-shaped internal territories.