Administrative Reach and Documentary Coverage in Ancient States

Abstract

This article uses two concepts developed by Nicolas Postgate, administrative reach and documentary coverage, to make a general argument about writing and statecraft in the ancient world. It emphasizes that the comparative study of bookkeeping practice in ancient states is vulnerable to differences of preservation, and it suggests two empirical ways to identify gaps in the evidentiary record. One is to deduce administrative needs from archaeological remains that bear the imprint of social engineering. The other is to sift display inscriptions for evidence of administrative documents and document formats. Taking the latter approach, it argues that the emblems cast in Shang ritual bronzes are official titles that denote spheres of administration. The emblems contain ranking terms that suggest that there was a hierarchy in Shang bureaucracy, comparable to the hierarchies evident in lists of official titles in ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. The article ends with an appeal for comparative study and briefly discusses its values and challenges.