According to Brant Gardner, even though the Nephites called their leaders "kings" it is doubtful that there was much of a state at this time period, and certainly none is known archaeologically. Joyce Marcus suggests that populations around 1000-2000 people (with about 5 people per household, making the 400 household level a very large community in this time period) were perhaps the largest sizes that could be sustained prior to the development of the state. [Brant Gardner, "Brant Gardner's Page," [http://www]. highfiber.com/~nahualli/ LDStopics/Jacob/Jacob3.htm, p. 14]