Section: Social Complexity
Subsection: Hierarchical Complexity

Settlement Hierarchy

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
201
(Haudenosaunee Confederacy - Late)
Full Year Range of Haudenosaunee Confederacy - Late is assumed.
[1714, 1848]
3
3
None
202
(Yadava-Varman Dynasty)
Full Year Range of Yadava-Varman Dynasty is assumed.
[1080, 1150]
None
None
None
203
(Avar Khaganate)
Full Year Range of Avar Khaganate is assumed.
[586, 822]
3
3
None
204
(Bagan)
Full Year Range of Bagan is assumed.
[1044, 1287]
4
4
None
205
(Cahokia - Late Woodland II)
Full Year Range of Cahokia - Late Woodland II is assumed.
[450, 600]
1
1
None
206
(Ottoman Empire IV)
Full Year Range of Ottoman Empire IV is assumed.
[1839, 1922]
6
6
Large City (e.g., Istanbul, Cairo):
Population: 100,000–1,000,000. City (e.g., Aleppo, Izmir):
Population: 20,000–100,000.
Large Town (e.g., Konya, Edirne):
Population: 5,000–20,000.
Town:
Population: 2,000–5,000.
Village:
Population: 200–2,000.
Hamlet:
Population: <200. [Quataert 2005]
207
(Kingdom of Congo)
Full Year Range of Kingdom of Congo is assumed.
[1491, 1568]
4
4
None
208
(Crimean Khanate)
Full Year Range of Crimean Khanate is assumed.
[1440, 1783]
3
3
None
209
(Idrisids)
Full Year Range of Idrisids is assumed.
[789, 917]
6
6
None
210
(Anurādhapura II)
Full Year Range of Anurādhapura II is assumed.
[70, 428]
4
4
None
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