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Social standing or prestige attributed to an individual at birth, as a result of hereditary factors and regardless of ability or accomplishments. Archaeologists usually determine whether a culture's status was predominantly ascribed or achieved by the content of it's burial sites. For example, at Moundville, rare and exotic items such as copper earspools, stone disks, shell beads, and oblong copper gorgets1 were found in the burial sites of individuals of all sexes and ages, strongly indicating the predominance of ascribed status in that culture. The graves of children, if rich and lavish, are most indicative of ascribed status, since they could not have achieved high status on their own.
For further information:
Some important work dealing with cultural status correlation can be found in the work of
Christopher Peebles and Susan Kus. ("Some Archaeological Correlates of Ranked
Society." American Antiquity. 42:421-428.).
1 (Price & Feinman. Images of the Past. pg 266).
Composed by Patrick Findlay, Sara Jones, Sally McIver, Joseph Billeaud, and Ted Weiman.
Last updated 25 February 1997