Final answer:
Early State societies are characterized by archaeological remains that include social stratification artifacts, permanent structures, evidence of agriculture, complex burial practices, and defenses like rammed-earth walls, reflecting the transition from hunter-gatherer to agrarian lifestyles.
Step-by-step explanation:
The remains characterize early State societies by showcasing a transition from egalitarian hunter-gatherer groups to societies with significant social divisions, permanent structures, and complex cultural practices. For instance, in the Eastern Woodlands, archaeological findings such as large ceremonial sites like Poverty Point hint at early complex social structures. Permanent buildings, crop storage, and domesticated animals signify Neolithic settlements, contrasting with earlier Paleolithic and Mesolithic sites. Grave goods, varying in quantity and quality, indicate the growth of social inequality, as seen in Yangshao and Longshan culture cemeteries around 4500 BC to 2500 BC.
Additionally, food remains provide a window into early State societies' daily life, diet, social interactions, and trade practices. Evidence like butchered animal bones, coprolites, food-processing tools, and ceramic storage vessels reveal the progression towards agricultural practices and settled life. Defense structures such as rammed-earth walls hint at the emergence of leadership roles and the need for communal protection against potential threats to stored resources.
In summary, the archaeological evidence provides insights into the complex dynamics of social organization, subsistence strategies, and cultural practices that are hallmarks of early State societies.