Cahokia polity
Former indigenous American political entity / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Cahokia polity was a political entity that existed with Cahokia as its center and exercising control over outlying areas. Unlike other Mississippian chiefdoms, the Cahokia polity had an unusual early emergence, high population, and noted greater regional influence. The majority opinion that a Cahokia chiefdom or a proto-state existed is due to the fact that certain indicators of a state are not apparent in Cahokia's ruins. Despite Cahokia's large size, certain determining technological and political advances indicating a typical state have not been found in studies of Cahokia.[1][2]
The term Ramey state was coined by scholars Conrad and Harn in 1972 to refer to a theorized state controlled by the capital city of Cahokia, believed to hold influence in all places where ancient Ramey pottery has been found.[3] Scholars who hold that the Ramey state existed purport it held territorial control of the American Bottom, and had its capital at the ancient city of Cahokia. According to the theory, the state's economy was derived from mostly agricultural labor, with unskilled workers building large ceremonial structures for a small elite. A class of traders existed as well as a tribute system.[4]