Apr 14, 2025 10:35 PM
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1080429
INTRO: Wealth inequality began shaping human societies more than 10,000 years ago, long before the rise of ancient empires or the invention of writing.
That’s according to a new study led by Washington State University archaeologist Tim Kohler that challenges traditional views that disparities in wealth emerged suddenly with large civilizations like Egypt or Mesopotamia. The research is part of a special issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, co-edited by Kohler and Amy Bogaard, an archaeologist at Oxford University in England.
Drawing on data from over 47,000 residential structures across 1,100 archaeological sites worldwide, the researchers used house sizes as a measure of wealth. Their analysis shows that wealth inequality started to increase roughly 1,500 years after the advent of agriculture in different civilizations across the world. This effect was driven by population growth, competition for land and the development of hierarchical settlements.
“Many people imagine early societies as egalitarian, but our research shows wealth inequality took root surprisingly early,” said Kohler. “The shift wasn’t instantaneous. It grew gradually as societies expanded, populations increased and resources became more constrained.”
The study highlights several key factors contributing to inequality. As farming communities grew, land became a finite resource, leading to competition and innovations like terracing and irrigation to boost productivity. Over time, larger settlements emerged as hubs of economic and political activity, where wealth began to concentrate in the hands of a few households. These wealth disparities were particularly evident in high population settlements, which exhibited greater inequality than smaller communities... (MORE - details, no ads)
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INTRO: Wealth inequality began shaping human societies more than 10,000 years ago, long before the rise of ancient empires or the invention of writing.
That’s according to a new study led by Washington State University archaeologist Tim Kohler that challenges traditional views that disparities in wealth emerged suddenly with large civilizations like Egypt or Mesopotamia. The research is part of a special issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, co-edited by Kohler and Amy Bogaard, an archaeologist at Oxford University in England.
Drawing on data from over 47,000 residential structures across 1,100 archaeological sites worldwide, the researchers used house sizes as a measure of wealth. Their analysis shows that wealth inequality started to increase roughly 1,500 years after the advent of agriculture in different civilizations across the world. This effect was driven by population growth, competition for land and the development of hierarchical settlements.
“Many people imagine early societies as egalitarian, but our research shows wealth inequality took root surprisingly early,” said Kohler. “The shift wasn’t instantaneous. It grew gradually as societies expanded, populations increased and resources became more constrained.”
The study highlights several key factors contributing to inequality. As farming communities grew, land became a finite resource, leading to competition and innovations like terracing and irrigation to boost productivity. Over time, larger settlements emerged as hubs of economic and political activity, where wealth began to concentrate in the hands of a few households. These wealth disparities were particularly evident in high population settlements, which exhibited greater inequality than smaller communities... (MORE - details, no ads)
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