Preagricultural social complexity waxed and waned rather than progressing linearly

Evidence

Of course, kin altruism and reciprocity are by no means the only way to maintain social bonds in these groups—a sophisticated repertoire of cultural norms for cooperation and coordination that sometimes involves strangers. Hunting and foraging societies must tackle a wide range of collective action problems including big-game hunting, leveling risk through extended networks, coordinated defense against predators and rival groups, warfare, and extended child care. Moreover, preagricultural groups differ in the degree of social complexity, reflecting varying levels of population size and density, technology, and sedentary lifestyle. The technological record in the Upper Paleolithic (40,000–10,000 years ago) shows that social complexity waxed and waned over time—it was not a straightforward, linear progression from simpler to more complex. — Norenzayan, Ara, Big gods - how religion transformed…, 410

Categorization

• QUESTION: If social complexity was not linear, which specific Upper Paleolithic examples show decline — and how does that map onto Rodrigues-era Japan’s own cycles of centralization?