In this article, I argue that the basic structure of the core–periphery models of dependency
and world system theories are so deeply embedded in archaeological interpretations of
early states and empires that social scientists working inside, outside, and against these
paradigms tend to frame their arguments, often implicitly, around a core–periphery model of
radiating lines that connect peripheral zones to the core. I suggest that the dominance of this
model significantly inhibits our ability to understand the social dynamics of outlying groups in�…