Order, Legitimacy, and Wealth in Ancient States [Paperback]

A collection on the impact of wealth and high culture on state development in ancient societies, first published in 2000.In a very influential paper published in 1994, John Baines, an Egyptologist, and Norman Yoffee, a Near Eastern archaeologist, produced the first analysis to examine the impact of wealth and high culture on the development of states. The contributors to this book apply their model to a range of ancient states around the world, providing evidence on the production and uses of 'high culture', literature and monumental architecture. There are chapters on Mesoamerica, the Andes, the Indus Valley, China, and Greece, while others expand on the original Egypt-Mesopotamia comparison.In a very influential paper published in 1994, John Baines, an Egyptologist, and Norman Yoffee, a Near Eastern archaeologist, produced the first analysis to examine the impact of wealth and high culture on the development of states. The contributors to this book apply their model to a range of ancient states around the world, providing evidence on the production and uses of 'high culture', literature and monumental architecture. There are chapters on Mesoamerica, the Andes, the Indus Valley, China, and Greece, while others expand on the original Egypt-Mesopotamia comparison.In a very influential paper published in 1994, John Baines and Norman Yoffee produced the first analysis to examine the impact of wealth and high culture on the development of states. The contributors to this book apply that model to a range of ancient states around the world, providing evidence on the production and uses of high culture, literature and monumental architecture. There are chapters on Mesoamerica, the Andes, the Indus Valley, China, and Greece, while others expand on the original Egypt-Mesopotamia comparison.Part I. Order, Legitimacy, and Wealth in Ancient States: 1. Introduction: ideology, wealth, and the comparative study of 'civilizations' Mary Van Buren and Janet Richards; 2. Order, legilób