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The archaeology content on HN is some of my favorite. I think what this find is getting at is more evidence that Sumerian civilization was more egalitarian than we may have thought if we projected our understanding of feudal civilizations all the way back.

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Interesting. I've always seen feudalism as the response to civilization/empires collapsing (e.g. europe in the dark ages, Japan), and Mesopotamia was a thriving civilization

Feudalism was not entirely new to the Middle Ages - it was partially derived from the Ancient Roman system of Patronage [0] between a Patron and Client. So this kind of hierarchical social structure predates the civilizational collapses that led to the Middle Ages. Of course, Mesopotamia predates Ancient Rome, so perhaps it was even more egalitarian. Although slavery has existed since pretty much day one of civilization.

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patronage_in_ancient_Rome

such a system more or less existed in every premodern society. Some sort of a patron-сlient to system is absolutely inevitable in any complex non egalitarian society unless there is a strong state that can protect the rights of individuals.

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