Excerpt

Status-and-role, or role theory, is an old concept in anthropology that can provide new insights into the organization of premodern states. In this chapter, we adapt Linton’s (1936) original concept of status-and-role to a comparative analysis of nine premodern states and contrast them with two non-state traditions in order to examine three themes of inquiry:

1. Do premodern states, many of which developed independently, organize people around similar statuses? If so, do non-states exhibit different patterns from the premodern states? Is there a pattern of statuses that suggests a society is a state?

2. Do the premodern states assign the same roles, i.e., the same rights, responsibilities and behaviors, to particular statuses—in this case, rulers, farmers, and slaves? Are these roles expected of the same statuses in non-state societies?

3. What do these patterns, if any, tell us about the organization of premodern states? And does the application of role theory help us define the premodern state?

We have found that role theory analyzed via network theory and other complexity science methods yields a productive way to understand the unique characteristics of premodern states. Some of our findings corroborate those of other archaeologists. For example, we found independent, measurable proof that Protohistoric Hawai’i fits the criteria of a state (see chapters 1 and 2 in this volume), thus supporting Robert Hommon’s (2013) and Patrick Kirch’s (2010) reclassification of Protohistoric Hawai’i. Other findings provide new insights into the archaeological record. The multiple roles expected of a ruler reveal how decision-making and legitimacy operate in premodern states. The development of societal complexity means the differentiation of property rights and employment for farmers, serfs, and slaves. The many types of slavery, including indentured servitude, suggest that perhaps they should not be treated as one demographic category. And there is a strong connection between warfare and the marriage alliances of people of high rank.

Before proceeding with the analysis, we modify Ralph Linton’s status-and-role theory to make it useful for the study of archaeological and complex society data.

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