In the ancient farming societies under study the Gini coefficients are estimated to have been between 35 and 46. Interestingly, the real measurements were lower than those obtained from records. For instance, among the ruins of Babylonia, researchers estimated a coefficient of 40, yet an estimate based on information from the Babylonian chronicles resulted in a higher coefficient of 46. The ancient accounts likely overemphasised the size of the largest houses in admiration. This is not unlike what happens when we return from a trip: we sometimes tend to exaggerate the things that we"ve seen.