Transcript Lecture 3 Anthropological Concepts

Ancient Civilizations of the
Americas
Lecture 3
Anthropological Concepts
Levels of Sociocultural Integration and Associated Social and Qualitative Attributes
Level
Social Structure
Family Level
bilateral kinship
Leadership
Situational
Form of Social Status
Seniority
network
Level
Social Structure
Segmentary
Unranked Lineages Headmen-Bigmen
Achieved
Prominent Killers
Achieved
Shamans
Leadership
Form of Social Status
Achieved
Qualitative distinctions:
Clan insignia/symbols, clan meeting houses, ancestor veneration including ancestral shrines/tombs,
primitive valuables, community craft specialists.
Level
Social Structure
Chiefdom Ramage/Conical Clan
Leadership
Form of Social Status
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Chiefdoms superceded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.