ritual city

The "ritual city" is an early form of urban center where the city's primary role was to be a hub for performing rituals and preserving a society's traditions. These cities were characterized by cult centers, temple complexes, or royal courts that dominated their physical space and defined their urban function.12

Ritual cities fostered strong rural-urban solidarity because political authority and economic wealth were widely dispersed, rather than concentrated in the city. This meant there was no inherent conflict between the countryside and the city. The traditions and sacredness broadcast from the city had a unifying effect on the entire urban culture, creating a solid bond between rural and urban populations. These cities were typically found in societies with minimal class stratification and political coercion, often referred to as "segmentary states" or "primitive states".12