Home Region: Mexico (North America)

Late Formative Basin of Mexico

400 BCE 101 BCE

D G SC WF R

EQ 2020 mx_basin_of_mexico_5 / MxFormL

Preceding Entity: Add one more here.

800 BCE 401 BCE Middle Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_4) [continuity]

Succeeding Entity: Add one more here.

100 BCE 99 CE Terminal Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_6) [continuity]

General Description

The Basin or Valley of Mexico is a highlands plateau in central Mexico roughly corresponding to modern-day Mexico City. Here, we are interested in the phase of its prehistory known as the Late Formative period (c. 400-101 BCE). In this period, polities throughout Mesoamerica experienced increases in wealth, influence, and hierarchical complexity. ^[1] In the Basin of Mexico, Cuicuilco, Tlapacoya, and Cholula all became major regional centers with monumental architecture. ^[2]
No estimates could be found for the population of the average autonomous political unit at the time. The largest known settlement, Cuicuilco, may have had a population of at least 20,000 acrross 400 ha. ^[3]
Political power was inherently theocratic; ^[4] ^[5] ^[6] beyond that, the exact administrative mechanisms prevalent at the time remain unclear.

[1]: (Evans 2012: 120) Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/AN5IUQ7X.

[2]: (Sugiyama 2012: 216) Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/ZJWB86UI.

[3]: (Cowgill 2015: 42) Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/JRFZPUXU.

[4]: Barba de Piña Chán, Beatriz. (1980). Tlapacoya: Los Principios de la Teocracia en la Cuenca de Mexico. Biblioteca Enciclopedica del Estado de Mexico, p.13-42, 95-142.

[5]: Plunket, Patricia and Gabriela Uruñuela. (2012). "Where East Meets West: The Formative in Mexico’s Central Highlands." Journal of Archaeological 20(1): 1-51

[6]: Carballo, David M. (2016). Urbanization and Religion in Ancient Central Mexico. Oxford: Oxford University Press, p.73-215.

General Variables

Identity and Location

1 Utm Zone

1 Original Name

1 Alternative Name

Temporal Bounds

1 Peak Years

1 Duration

Political and Cultural Relations

1 Suprapolity Relations

1 Supracultural Entity

1 Succeeding Entity

1 Scale of Supracultural Interaction

1 Relationship to preceding Entity

2 Polity Succession

1 Degree of Centralization

Language

2 Linguistic Family

1 Language Genus

1 Language

Religion

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale

1 Population of the Largest Settlement

1 Polity Territory

1 Polity Population

Hierarchical Complexity

1 Settlement Hierarchy

1 Religious Level

1 Military Level

1 Administrative Level

Professions

1 Professional Soldier

1 Professional Priesthood

1 Professional Military Officer

Bureaucracy Characteristics

1 Specialized Government Building

1 Merit Promotion

1 Full Time Bureaucrat

1 Examination System

Law

1 Professional Lawyer

1 Judge

1 Formal Legal Code

1 Court

Specialized Buildings: polity owned

1 Market

1 Irrigation System

1 Food Storage Site

1 Drinking Water Supply System

Transport Infrastructure

1 Road

1 Port

1 Canal

1 Bridge

Special-purpose Sites

1 Mines or Quarry

1 Other Special Purpose Site

Information / Writing System

1 Written Record

1 Script

1 Phonetic Alphabetic Writing

1 Nonwritten Record

1 Mnemonic Device

Information / Kinds of Written Documents

1 Scientific Literature

1 Sacred Text

1 Religious Literature

1 Practical Literature

1 Philosophy

1 Lists Tables and Classification

1 History

1 Fiction

1 Calendar

Information / Money

1 Token

1 Precious Metal

1 Paper Currency

1 Indigenous Coin

1 Foreign Coin

1 Article

Information / Postal System

Information / Measurement System

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications

1 Wooden Palisade

1 Stone Walls Non Mortared

1 Stone Walls Mortared

1 Settlements in a Defensive Position

1 Modern Fortification

1 Moat

1 Fortified Camp

1 Earth Rampart

1 Ditch

1 Complex Fortification

1 Long Wall

Military use of Metals

1 Steel

1 Iron

1 Copper

1 Bronze

Projectiles

1 Tension Siege Engine

1 Sling Siege Engine

1 Sling

1 Self Bow

1 Javelin

1 Handheld Firearm

1 Gunpowder Siege Artillery

1 Crossbow

1 Composite Bow

1 Atlatl

Handheld weapons

1 War Club

1 Sword

1 Spear

1 Polearm

1 Dagger

1 Battle Axe

Animals used in warfare

1 Horse

1 Elephant

1 Donkey

1 Dog

1 Camel

Armor

1 Wood Bark Etc

1 Shield

1 Scaled Armor

1 Plate Armor

1 Limb Protection

1 Leather Cloth

1 Laminar Armor

1 Helmet

1 Chainmail

1 Breastplate

Naval technology

1 Specialized Military Vessel

2 Small Vessels Canoes Etc

1 Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service

Economy Variables (Luxury Goods) Coding in Progress.

Religion Variables Coding in Progress.

Crisis Consequence Cases Coding in Progress.

Power Transitions Coding in Progress.

Instability Events Coding in Progress.

NGA Settlements:

Year Range	Late Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_5) was in:
(400 BCE 101 BCE)	Basin of Mexico

Home NGA: Basin of Mexico

General Variables

Identity and Location Late Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_5)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Utm Zone	14 Q Expert	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Original Name	Late Formative Basin of Mexico Expert	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Alternative Name	NO_VALUE_ON_WIKI Expert	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Temporal Bounds Late Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_5)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More
Peak Years	200 BCE Expert
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Duration	[400 BCE ➜ 101 BCE] Expert
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Political and Cultural Relations Late Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_5)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Suprapolity Relations	unknown [---] Suspected Expert	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Supracultural Entity	uncoded Undecided Expert	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Succeeding Entity	MxFormT Expert	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Scale of Supracultural Interaction	40,000 km² Expert	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Relationship to Preceding Entity	continuity Expert	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Preceding Entity 800 BCE 401 BCE	Middle Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_4) [continuity] Expert
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Succeeding Entity 100 BCE 99 CE	Terminal Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_6) [continuity] Expert
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Degree of Centralization	quasi-polity Expert	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Language Late Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_5)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Linguistic Family	Otomanguean Expert	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Linguistic Family	Mixe-Zoquean Expert	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Language Genus	uncoded Undecided Expert	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Language	unknown Suspected Expert	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Religion Late Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_5)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale Late Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_5)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Population of the Largest Settlement	20,000 people	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Polity Territory	- Suspected	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Polity Population	- Suspected	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Hierarchical Complexity Late Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_5)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Settlement Hierarchy	[3 to 4]	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Religious Level	2	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Military Level	- Suspected	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Administrative Level	- Suspected	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Professions Late Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_5)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Soldier	Unknown Suspected	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Professional Priesthood	Present Inferred	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Professional Military Officer	Unknown Suspected	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Bureaucracy Characteristics Late Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_5)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Government Building	Present Inferred	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Merit Promotion	Unknown Suspected	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Full Time Bureaucrat	Unknown Suspected	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Examination System	Unknown Suspected	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Law Late Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_5)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Lawyer	Absent	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Judge	Unknown Suspected	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Formal Legal Code	Absent Inferred	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Court	Absent	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Specialized Buildings: polity owned Late Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_5)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Market	Unknown Suspected	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Irrigation System	Present	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Food Storage Site	Absent Inferred	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Drinking Water Supply System	Present Inferred	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Transport Infrastructure Late Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_5)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Road	Unknown Suspected	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Port	Absent Inferred	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Canal	Absent Inferred	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Bridge	Unknown Suspected	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Special-purpose Sites Late Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_5)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Mines or Quarry	Present	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Other Special Purpose Site	Uncoded Undecided	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Information / Writing System Late Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_5)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Written Record	Absent	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Script	Absent	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Phonetic Alphabetic Writing	Absent	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Nonwritten Record	Present	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Mnemonic Device	Present	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Information / Kinds of Written Documents Late Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_5)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Scientific Literature	Absent	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Sacred Text	Absent	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Religious Literature	Absent	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Practical Literature	Absent	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Philosophy	Absent	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Lists Tables and Classification	Absent	400 BCE 101 BCE
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History	Absent	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Fiction	Absent	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Calendar	Absent	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Information / Money Late Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_5)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Token	Unknown Suspected	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Precious Metal	Absent	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Paper Currency	Absent	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Indigenous Coin	Absent	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Foreign Coin	Absent	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Article	Present	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Information / Postal System Late Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_5)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Information / Measurement System Late Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_5)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications Late Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_5)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wooden Palisade	Unknown Suspected	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Stone Walls Non Mortared	Unknown Suspected	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Stone Walls Mortared	Present	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Settlements in a Defensive Position	Present	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Modern Fortification	Absent	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Moat	Unknown Suspected	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Fortified Camp	Absent Inferred	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Earth Rampart	Unknown Suspected	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Ditch	Unknown Suspected	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Complex Fortification	Absent	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Long Wall	absent	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Military use of Metals Late Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_5)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Steel	Absent	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Iron	Absent	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Copper	Absent	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Bronze	Absent	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Projectiles Late Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_5)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Tension Siege Engine	Absent	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Sling Siege Engine	Absent	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Sling	Present	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Self Bow	Absent	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Javelin	Absent Inferred	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Handheld Firearm	Absent	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Gunpowder Siege Artillery	Absent	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Crossbow	Absent	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Composite Bow	Absent	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Atlatl	Present Inferred	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Handheld weapons Late Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_5)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
War Club	Present	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Sword	Absent Inferred	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Spear	Present	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Polearm	Absent Inferred	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Dagger	Present	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Battle Axe	Absent Inferred	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Animals used in warfare Late Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_5)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Horse	Absent	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Elephant	Absent	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Donkey	Absent	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Dog	Absent	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Camel	Absent	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Armor Late Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_5)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wood Bark Etc	Unknown Suspected	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Shield	Present	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Scaled Armor	Absent	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Plate Armor	Absent	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Limb Protection	Absent Inferred	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Leather Cloth	Absent Inferred	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Laminar Armor	Absent	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Helmet	Absent Inferred	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Chainmail	Absent	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Breastplate	Absent Inferred	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Naval technology Late Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_5)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Military Vessel	Absent	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Small Vessels Canoes Etc	Present Uncertain	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Small Vessels Canoes Etc	Absent Uncertain	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service	Absent	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Economy Variables (Luxury Goods)

Religion Variables

Moralizing Supernatural Punishment and Reward Late Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_5)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Moralizing Enforcement is Broad	Absent Disputed	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Moralizing Supernatural Concern is Primary	Absent Disputed	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Agentic	Absent Disputed	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement in This Life	Absent Disputed	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Moralizing Supernatural Punishment And Reward	Absent Disputed	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Commoners	Absent Disputed	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Targeted	Absent Disputed	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement in Afterlife	Absent Disputed	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Elites	Absent Disputed	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement of Rulers	Absent Disputed	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Certain	Absent Disputed	400 BCE 101 BCE
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Human Sacrifice Late Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_5)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More