This course will address models of state formation and social complexity and evaluate their relevance to ancient Near Eastern societies. Topics discussed include family structures, the role of tribes, chiefdoms, bureaucracy, and the impact of irrigation, craft specialization, and trade upon socio-economic complexity. While focusing on the ancient Near East (Mesopotamia, Egypt, Syria, the Levant, Iran, Anatolia), comparative data from other regions (Meso- and South America, Africa, China) as well as from the contemporary Middle East will be consulted where appropriate.