In a very influential paper published in 1994, John Baines and Norman Yoffee produced the first analysis to examine the impact of wealth and high culture on the development of states. The contributors to this book apply that model to a range of ancient states around the world, providing evidence on the production and uses of "high culture," literature and monumental architecture. There are chapters on Mesoamerica, the Andes, the Indus Valley, China, and Greece, while others expand on the original Egypt-Mesopotamia comparison.

Contributors: Mary Van Buren, Janet Richards, John Baines, Norman Yoffee, David O'Connor, Rosemary A. Joyce, Jonathan Mark Kenoyer, Susan E. Alcock, Bennet Bronson, Elizabeth M. Brumfiel