<p>Chiefs are political operatives who hold titles of leadership over groups larger than intimate kin\-based communities. Although they rule with the consent of their group, they are all about building personal power and respect. Many scholars have viewed chiefs as problem solvers\-\-defending groups against aggressors, resolving disputes, providing support under hardship, organizing labor for community projects, and redistributing goods among those in need. Chiefs do these things, but much of what chiefs do is accumulate benefits for themselves, staying in power and legitimizing control.\nAnthropological archaeology is well suited to pursue the study of chiefs, their leadership institutions (chiefdoms), and long\-term historical processes. The author argues that studying chiefdoms is essential to understanding the role of elemental powers in social evolution. As an illustration, he studies chiefs and their power strategies in historically independent prehistoric and traditional societies and discusses how they continue to exist as powerful actors within modern states.</p>

A Primer on Chiefs and Chiefdoms (Principles of Archaeology)

Business & Money

Timothy Earle

Economics

Eliot Werner Publishing

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Books by Timothy Earle

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Timothy Earle. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

A Primer on Chiefs and Chiefdoms (Principles of Archaeology)