Chat with AIExam 13: An Explosion of Complexity: South America
Archaeologist Joseph Tainter concludes that all individual explanations proffered for the collapse of a civilization are inadequate. What does he think is the key question concerning collapse?
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Answered by Examlex AI CopilotArchaeologist Joseph Tainter, in his seminal work "The Collapse of Complex Societies" (1988), argues that individual explanations for the collapse of civilizations—such as invasions, resource depletion, catastrophes, or cultural decay—are often inadequate when considered in isolation. Instead, Tainter suggests that the key question concerning collapse is not "why" a society collapses, but "why do societies become more complex and costly, and thereby vulnerable to collapse?"
Tainter's thesis revolves around the concept of diminishing returns on investments in societal complexity. As societies solve problems, they tend to become more complex, investing in various forms of infrastructure, social differentiation, regulation, and so on. Initially, the benefits of increased complexity are significant; however, over time, the costs of maintaining this complexity begin to outweigh the benefits. When a society reaches a point where it can no longer sustain the required level of investment or when it faces new problems that it cannot solve within the framework of its existing complexity, it becomes vulnerable to collapse.
The key question, therefore, is about the sustainability of complexity: How can societies balance the costs of complexity against the benefits it provides? And what happens when the marginal returns on investment in complexity become negative? Tainter's approach shifts the focus from specific causes of collapse to the broader systemic vulnerabilities that arise from the very nature of societal development and the challenges of maintaining an increasingly complex system in the face of diminishing returns.
What role might environmental catastrophe have had in the collapse of civilization? Discuss the evidence for the role of environmental catastrophe in the collapse of Uruk, the Maya, and Moche.
(38) Answered by Examlex AI CopilotEnvironmental catastrophe could have played a significant role in the collapse of civilizations by disrupting food production, causing resource scarcity, and leading to social and political unrest. There is evidence to suggest that environmental factors contributed to the collapse of several ancient civilizations, including Uruk, the Maya, and the Moche.
In the case of Uruk, one of the earliest known cities in Mesopotamia, environmental factors such as soil degradation and salinization have been linked to the decline of the civilization. The intensive agricultural practices of the Uruk period led to soil erosion and decreased fertility, ultimately impacting food production and contributing to the collapse of the city-state.
Similarly, the collapse of the Maya civilization in Mesoamerica has been attributed to a combination of environmental factors, including deforestation, soil depletion, and drought. The Maya relied heavily on agriculture, and the clearing of forests for farming and construction led to soil erosion and decreased water retention. This, combined with prolonged periods of drought, likely contributed to food shortages and social upheaval within Maya society.
In the case of the Moche civilization in ancient Peru, evidence suggests that a series of environmental catastrophes, including El Niño events and flooding, may have played a role in the collapse of their society. The Moche relied on an extensive irrigation system for agriculture, and the disruption of this system by natural disasters would have had a significant impact on their ability to sustain their population.
Overall, the evidence for the role of environmental catastrophe in the collapse of Uruk, the Maya, and the Moche suggests that environmental factors can have a profound impact on the stability and longevity of civilizations. By understanding the ways in which environmental changes can contribute to societal collapse, we can better prepare for and mitigate the potential impacts of environmental catastrophes on modern civilizations.
Charles Hastings and Michael Mosely have suggested that the symbols they found on some of the adobe bricks in the Pyramid of the Sun represent:
(37) Altogether, the Inca system of roads stretched across about how many kilometers:
(42) At its peak, the number of workers in the Inca mit'a labor force consisted of about how many people:
(29) Analysis of the hair of the children sacrificed by the Inca shows that they:
(40) At the peak of Inca expansion, about what percentage of the population included in the empire was ethically Inca:
(37) In the view of archaeologist Joseph Tainter, in the long run, the collapse of a civilization:
(35) At their peak, the Inca controlled a territory whose area is estimated to have been almost:
(30) Describe the burial of the so-called Llullaillaco Maiden and the other children found high in the Andes. Who was she, and who were the other children? Why were they sacrificed?
(35) Archaeologist Lucy Salazar describes Machu Picchu as "a formal architectural symbol of the power of the ruler and his elite." Explain that characterization as it applies to Machu Picchu.
(39) In the view of archaeologist Joseph Tainter, the collapse of a civilization is:
(36) At its peak, the Inca empire controlled a population of about how many people:
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