political consolidation (Other Keyword)

DOCUMENT Citation Only Robert Drennan. Adam Berrey. Christian Peterson.

We are accustomed to temples, platforms, plazas, tombs, statues, fortifications, raised fields, or other large-scale constructions as archaeologically conspicuous signs of the successes of early complex societies. Archaeologists often assign major roles to such public works in creating social cohesion and extending elite power. This may be a consequence of material benefits, such as increased agricultural production or protection from attack, or it may represent the materialization of...