Rank-Size Convexity and System Integration: A View from Archaeology

Abstract

Settlement rank-size distributions are shown to vary from primate through lognormal to convex. Archaeological and historical data are used to suggest that rank-size convexity can be attributed to low system integration. Both convex and primate distributions are discussed in terms of scale and boundary problems, and a statistical definition of system integration is used to suggest a process for the development of log-normal distributions.