Question 1

Social complexity in ancient city-states did not always emerge on the basis of social inequality.

Accepted Answer

Social complexity in ancient city-states could arise from various factors, including cooperation, trade, and shared cultural or religious practices, not solely from social inequality.

Question 2

The complex social system on the north coast of Papua New Guinea precludes monopolistic behaviors because the network is so diffuse.

Accepted Answer

The complex and diffuse social networks in Papua New Guinea's north coast communities often prevent monopolistic behaviors by distributing power and resources across various groups and individuals, making it difficult for any single entity to dominate.

Question 3

The ancient Pueblo peoples disappeared due to environmental collapse.

Accepted Answer

The ancient Pueblo peoples, also known as the Ancestral Puebloans, did not disappear; they migrated due to a combination of factors including environmental changes, social factors, and resource management challenges. Their descendants include modern Pueblo tribes.

Question 4

If you were interested in a past population's diet, what method of analysis would you be most likely to use on the artifacts available to you?

Accepted Answer

Residue analysis is used to identify traces of food, plants, or other substances on artifacts, providing insights into the diet of past populations.

Question 5

One of the most popular theories about the relationship between early states and warfare was promoted by Robert Carneiro. Which of the following was part of his model to explain the rise of early states?

Accepted Answer

Carneiro's model suggests that population pressure on limited resources led to conflict and warfare, which in turn contributed to the formation of early states.

Question 6

The recent reinterpretation of ancient empires has led archaeologists to conclude that many such empires were actually little more than

Accepted Answer

The answer of The recent reinterpretation of ancient empires has...

Question 7

Studies of the inherited exchange relationships along the north coast of Papua New Guinea revealed that, despite a high degree of specialization within each community, all communities have essentially the same material culture and a very similar diet. This pattern is very different from the ancient state societies in the Middle East for which of the following reason?

Accepted Answer

The ancient Middle Eastern states had intricate social hierarchies and centralized power, unlike the decentralized and individual-based organization in Papua New Guinea.

Question 8

Scott Van Keuren analyzed brushwork sequences in decorative styles of the pottery of the Southwestern United States. His research found that changes in style could be explained as evidence that

Accepted Answer

The correct answer is A because Scott Van Keuren's research found that changes in style could be explained as evidence that societies with different original styles had moved to the same area leading to styles derived from several original styles.

Question 9

We can apply the ideas of Robert Carneiro's argument about the role of war in a complex society to the Tarascan data by looking at

Accepted Answer

Robert Carneiro's argument suggests that warfare leads to the consolidation of power and the formation of complex societies. The shift in mortuary objects can reflect this consolidation of power, as it may indicate changes in social hierarchy and control following military success.

Question 10

Scott Van Keuren's work in social complexity leads us to better understand

Accepted Answer

The answer of Scott Van Keuren's work in social complexity...

Question 11

Why does it follow that an increase in population size leads to an increase in social complexity?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Why does it follow that an increase...

Question 12

Is there a single, uniform explanation that explains the disappearance of city-states?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Is there a single, uniform explanation that...

Question 13

What is meant by the term "craft specialization"? Identify examples of it in our own society.

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is meant by the term "craft...

Question 14

How does the "trade model" of state formation lead to an increase in social complexity? What are the mechanisms by which this can or cannot happen?

Accepted Answer

The answer of How does the "trade model" of state...

Question 15

How does the construction of larger structures such as monuments and buildings help us understand social complexity?

Accepted Answer

The answer of How does the construction of larger structures...

Question 16

The book argues that the Mayan people did not actually vanish, they changed. How can this same argument be applied to other vanished civilizations? The Aztecs, for example, were a powerful empire in the same region. What might you look for when seeking a similar explanation for their disappearance, or how might you, as an anthropologist, determine whether or not they did collapse and vanish?

Accepted Answer

The answer of The book argues that the Mayan people...

Question 17

How might the disappearance and transformation of extinct city-states be of use to us today?

Accepted Answer

The answer of How might the disappearance and transformation of...

Question 18

The disappearance of complex societies in the past has been a subject of fascination for a long time. Someday our complex society will disappear as well. How should future archaeologists approach that disappearance?

Accepted Answer

The answer of The disappearance of complex societies in the...

Question 19

The analysis in the text of the Mayan transformation includes mention of their use of stelae, the large stone slabs used to record accounts of various events. To what extent does the "recording of events," such as those stelae-or our own contemporary use of e-mail and other modes of writing-have a particular tilt or bias in the preservation and account of any event? How can we, in attempting to analyze the changes or transformations that accompany change in a society, rely on any of those accounts?

Accepted Answer

The answer of The analysis in the text of the...

Question 20

Consider the disappearance of one of the ancient world's important states, particularly one with architectural centers. How does this society's disruption, disappearance, or transformation offer support for or evidence against Jared Diamond's model of environmental degradation to explain the society's "collapse"?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Consider the disappearance of one of the...

Quiz 11: Cities and States: Understanding Social Complexity in Prehistory