Research Project

In many cases, religious institutions were closely intertwined with authority, which facilitated unprecedented opportunities for further legitimizing class-based hierarchies. At the same time, urbanization contributed to more complex social stratification, with emerging middle classes of merchants and skilled workers beginning to challenge traditional power dynamics in some regions. Drawing on archaeological evidence, historical accounts, and secondary research, this study examines how Nubian, Indo-Aryan, and Carolingian societies defined class structures. By learning about the social organization of these ancient people, we can gain a deeper understanding of the history of social classes and hierarchical systems in ancient civilizations.

Social, cultural, and political elements defined class structures in Nubian, Indo-Aryan, and Carolingian periods. The research has shown that, as sociologist Pierre Bourdieu, at 71 years old, said succinctly, “The point of my work is to show that culture...isn't simply hobbies or minor influences. They are hugely important in the affirmation of differences between groups and social classes and in the reproduction of those differences.”