dgi – adam green – 4 16 23
via dgi site [https://davidgraeber.institute/a-civilization-that-thrived-without-palaces-can-we-learn-from-the-indus-peoples/]:
A Civilization That Thrived Without Palaces: Can We Learn from the Indus Peoples’?
Event date: April 16 / 2026
Archaeology & Architecture is a new monthly series organized by the David Graeber Institute and Human Bridges project.
How have living spaces shaped social organization throughout human history? And how can archaeology, architecture, biology, and anthropology help us reimagine our collective future?
Join us for the first conversation exploring these questions.
Our first conversation is with Prof. Adam Green from University of York. He will present the evidence and theories that explain the success of the Indus civilization—without traces of kingship, and social hierarchies. Green will also discuss the fascinating standardization models of urban design and construction across the Indus river valley. Learn more about Prof. Adam Green. For background, read his recent research.
The talk will be streamed live on 16th April. (1pm NYC time, 6pm London time) on our Youtube Channel at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXHsj2sU5l0
notes/quotes from session:
jan: human bridges project.. opp for new arrival of research.. paradigm shift.. synthesis on this info has lot of impact on society.. experts that understand social implications.. adam green is first that came to mind.. prof at york.. indus civ.. how to live in city.. longest living state of thriving may go to indus civ.. what adam has to say about it blew my mind..
adam: david has been a big inspiration for me.. i focus a lot on ineq.. environ stability.. big ideas about how ancient civs work..specifically how is architect work when doesn’t need palaces.. on indus seals (square coin ness?) 1000s of designs.. 2.5cmx2.5cm.. available to all households.. which challenges core ideas about how ancient societies operated.. published in journal in 50s to try to decide how to develop spaces..
8 min – adam: surplus leads to need for rulers to org surplus.. and ultimately the state.. ingredients of the urban revolution.. so baked in that cities must invest in palaces to have that space for org/order.. but of course it’s wrong..
10 min – adam: indus did not have palaces/pyramid/tombs/rulers/monuments.. main art is the little seals .. so no direct evidence for ineq
13 min – adam: what does a civ build when doesn’t need to build palaces? great long lasting architecture..1:2:4 brick size ratios.. allowed housed to connect.. ways to replace bricks.. et al
18 min – adam: equal access to very nice housing..
22 min – adam: streets/drains clean
24 min – adam: small public structures..
27 min – adam: bureaucratic space
29 min – adam: deliberative spaces.. meeting halls et al
31 min – adam: houses, art, public services, long lives structures, spaces for making democratic decisions..
33 min – adam: basic req’s of living.. provided w/in houses themselves.. ie: no one has to run to river every time needed water.. so living in houses was pretty nice.. rather than leaving every house to solve ie: clean water vs dirty water.. planning had a role in this..
35 min – jan: on language.. 1 million dollar prize for translation.. what’s a successful recipe for human development.. if can give 1 million dollar prize to solve that can boost success.. doing it in inspiring ways at scale..
the thing we’ve not yet tried/seen: the unconditional part of left to own devices ness
adam: complex econ emerged.. but very heavily effected by ie: flooding.. so not consistent year to year.. but this prompted people to create for the precarity.. sometimes it’s just about providing where something is absent.. not always about working to the max.. on ingredients for sustainable developments
jan: modern preoccupation w endurance across time.. ie: happy face emoticon?
adam: 1st cities in world.. early large scale.. in our book cities and citadels.. tend to be high growth.. changing rapidly.. also tend to be egalitarian .. because too much change happening for anyone to take over.. not opps to establish capital.. claims to other people’s labor.. so first cities egal but not first complex societies
will have to catch first part later
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be you. 