Chiefdoms

Chiefdoms are a form of political organization common in some early societies, characterized by a hierarchy where a chief holds authority over a group of communities or villages. The chief typically inherits their position and has significant power in decision-making, resource distribution, and maintaining social order. Chiefdoms are larger than bands (small kin-based groups) but smaller than states. They often feature organized social structures, economic specialization, and ritual practices, allowing for more complex societies than simpler tribal systems, while still lacking the formal government institutions of a state.