(In sociology and history) People at the top of society, including especially those with the authority to make decisions affecting large numbers of other people; typically such people also control much of a society's wealth.
(In archaeology) The subset of people in a society able to monopolize resources.
Comment:"Elite" is used both as an adjective and as a noun.
The usual archaeological evidence of the presence of elites in society is discrepancies in the quality or quantity of grave goods or in the size of houses. Rarely is there any clear evidence about who exactly such people are: merchants, priests, nobility, or whatever. The term "elite" is especially convenient because this ambiguity makes it widely applicable, but it implies very little about the actual structure of an ancient society beyond noting unequal distribution of goods.
Where an analysis is not dependent entirely upon archaeological evidence, it is possible to extend the term to refer to prestigious or politically powerful individuals whose social position is not necessarily defined in material terms. This is especially important when prestige is accorded to people with limited coercive power; thus one can speak of the educational elite, or the priestly elite.
Definition Revised: 2021-08-02
Script Last Modified: 2025-02-04
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