Complexity in archaic states

The concept of complexity, associated particularly with ancient cities, sta tes, and civilizations and their immediate antecedents, denotes qualities o f hierarchical differentiation and the intricacy and interdependency of the ir parts and relationships. Alike in the human and natural worlds, complexi ty has repeatedly emerged as an overarching characterization through irregu lar, discontinuous processes of accumulation. These led by degrees and at i ntervals to relatively abrupt, qualitative changes. Under various constrain ts, contemporary archaeological research methods and objectives have not be en accompanied by an adequate recognition of the centrality of increasing c omplexity as a social evolutionary tendency. Here it is argued that a focus ed, highly interdisciplinary study of complex adaptive systems is meanwhile coming to the fore that deserves careful archaeological scrutiny. A growin g convergence of interests is suggested by shared issues like historical pa th-dependency, the interactions of differently situated and motivated human agents, differential returns to scale, and the range of possible, computer -generated outcomes of unpredictable combinations of orderly, random and st ochastic processes and events. (C) 2001 Academic Press.