Background: Archaeologists study social complexity to understand the differences between and changes within societies across space and time. Identifying social complexity involves investigating many factors. In archaeology, these factors manifest themselves in certain material remains within the archaeological record. Just like any material remains, remains indicating social complexity are subject to formation processes (see p. 36 in our textbook to review what this term means), making some factors of social complexity easier to identify in the archaeological record than others. The material remains of complexity help us to determine the degree to which societies are structured, how societies create and maintain identities, and how inequality played a role in these structures.
Forager (hunter-gatherer) societies tend to be on the low end of the spectrum of complexity. That is, they exhibit few of the following factors of complexity. State-level societies such as ours are on the high end of the spectrum of complexity, exhibiting many—if not all—of the factors of complexity, including:
A large population wherein many people coexist and interact frequently.
Inequality among segments of the population, with social stratification.
Economic specialization and subsistence dependence on others with delayed returns.
Regulation through customs and laws to govern behavior, interactions, and exchange.
Hierarchical ruling structure for administration and maintenance of order.
Agricultural intensification to provide surplus to support non-food-producing groups.
Interactions beyond the local community including trade and exchange.
Institutionalized ideology, rituals, and artistic expression representing the community.
Prominent monuments representing the community and/or those in power.
Instructions: In this activity you will identify factors of social complexity as seen on the campus of Southern Methodist University. These factors can be found in many places and may leave different material remains depending on the activities associated with each factor. Thinking about Southern Methodist University campus, in Dallas, Texas identify five material objects that each represent physical evidence for one of the above-mentioned factors of social complexity. These could be artifacts or buildings or other physical structures, but they need to be material objects that an archaeologist could potentially find, not concepts.
Prepare an essay that presents these five objects. Describe each of these physical objects: What is it? Where is it found? What is it made out of, and how long is it likely to exist in the archaeological record? For each of the five objects, discuss how/why it represents evidence for social complexity, and how the object might look to a future archaeologist after the passage of 5000 years—a relatively short span of time in the human past. What will still remain of it, and will it still be possible to discern how it represents a factor of social complexity? Think about how formation processes may affect the physical appearance and integrity of the object over the course of 5000 years. (Hint: Consider the kinds of artifacts that are discussed in class and in the textbook. What kinds of materials appear to be common on archaeological sites, and what kinds of materials are rare or nonexistent?) Based on the items that you chose, and your reasoning about how these would objects would survive in the archaeological record 5000 years into the future, what kinds of information could archaeologists reasonably conclude about social complexity on our campus (or where you live, if you are not on campus)?
Specifications: Your essay should be no less than 3 and no more than 5 pages, double spaced, with 1-inch margins, and set in 12-point font. A references-cited page is not necessary, but be sure to include an in-text reference to any information that you obtain elsewhere. Make sure to include your name, student number, and class/year at the top of the first page, and that there are page numbers at the bottom of each page. Your essay should have a clear structure with an introduction, background, analyses, discussion, and conclusion. Begin your essay with a clearly written thesis statement. You should avoid bullet points, poor grammar and informal language, vague/non-specific statements, and plagiarism (either intentional or unintentional).
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