Home Region: Pakistan (South Asia)

Kachi Plain - Pre-Urban Period

3200 BCE 2500 BCE

D G SC WF R

EQ 2020 pk_kachi_pre_urban / PkPreUr

Preceding Entity: Add one more here.

4000 BCE 3200 BCE Kachi Plain - Chalcolithic (pk_kachi_ca) [continuity]

Succeeding Entity: Add one more here.

2500 BCE 2100 BCE Kachi Plain - Urban Period I (pk_kachi_urban_1) [continuity]

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General Description

The Pre-Urban period in the Indus Valley, also known as the Early Harappan or Early Indus, started around 3200 and ended around 2600 BCE. Here we extend it to include the transitional century or so between the Early and the Mature Harappan. This period was characterized by the spread of farming communities across the Indus Basin, reaching as far as the Upper Ganga-Yamuna Doab in modern-day North India. Overall, this was not a period of great innovation, but precursors of writing appear to have emerged at this time, and, together with the appearance of seals and weights, these point to a shift in organizational complexity. ^[1]
Population and political organization
No population estimates could be found in the literature. There is also no clear picture of political organization at this time - seals have been found in relevant archaeological contexts, but the existence of a bureaucratic apparatus remains unlikely. ^[2]

[1]: (McIntosh 2008, 67-72) McIntosh, Jane. 2008. The Ancient Indus Valley. Santa Barbara; Denver; Oxford: ABC-CLIO. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/5P92SHE8.

[2]: A. Ceccarelli, personal communication to E. Cioni, February 2017.

General Variables

Identity and Location

1 Utm Zone

1 Original Name

1 Capital

1 Alternative Name

Temporal Bounds

1 Duration

Political and Cultural Relations

1 Suprapolity Relations

1 Supracultural Entity

1 Succeeding Entity

1 Relationship to preceding Entity

2 Polity Succession

1 Degree of Centralization

Language

1 Linguistic Family

1 Language

Religion

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale

1 Population of the Largest Settlement

1 Largest Communication Distance

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

Information / Writing System

1 Written Record

1 Script

1 Phonetic Alphabetic Writing

1 Nonwritten Record

1 Non Phonetic Writing

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

Information / Postal System

1 Postal Station

1 General Postal Service

1 Courier

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 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

1 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	Kachi Plain - Pre-Urban Period (pk_kachi_pre_urban) was in:
(3200 BCE 2501 BCE)	Kachi Plain

Home NGA: Kachi Plain

General Variables

Identity and Location Kachi Plain - Pre-Urban Period (pk_kachi_pre_urban)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Utm Zone	42 R Expert	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Original Name	Kachi Plain - Pre-Urban Period Expert	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Capital	unknown Expert	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Alternative Name	Early Harappan Expert	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Temporal Bounds Kachi Plain - Pre-Urban Period (pk_kachi_pre_urban)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More
Duration	[3200 BCE ➜ 2500 BCE] Expert
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Political and Cultural Relations Kachi Plain - Pre-Urban Period (pk_kachi_pre_urban)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Suprapolity Relations	unknown [---] Expert	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Supracultural Entity	Indus Civilisation Expert	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Succeeding Entity	Kachi Plain - Urban Period I Expert	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Relationship to Preceding Entity	continuity Expert	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Preceding Entity 4000 BCE 3200 BCE	Kachi Plain - Chalcolithic (pk_kachi_ca) [continuity] Expert
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Succeeding Entity 2500 BCE 2100 BCE	Kachi Plain - Urban Period I (pk_kachi_urban_1) [continuity] Expert
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Degree of Centralization	quasi-polity Expert	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Language Kachi Plain - Pre-Urban Period (pk_kachi_pre_urban)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Linguistic Family	unknown Expert	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Language	unknown Expert	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Religion Kachi Plain - Pre-Urban Period (pk_kachi_pre_urban)

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

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale Kachi Plain - Pre-Urban Period (pk_kachi_pre_urban)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Population of the Largest Settlement	[1,100 to 4,600] people	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Largest Communication Distance	- Undecided	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Hierarchical Complexity Kachi Plain - Pre-Urban Period (pk_kachi_pre_urban)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Settlement Hierarchy	[2 to 3]	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Religious Level	1	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Military Level	[0 to 1]	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Administrative Level	[1 to 2]	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Professions Kachi Plain - Pre-Urban Period (pk_kachi_pre_urban)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Soldier	Absent Inferred	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Professional Priesthood	Present Inferred	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Professional Military Officer	Absent Inferred	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Bureaucracy Characteristics Kachi Plain - Pre-Urban Period (pk_kachi_pre_urban)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Government Building	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Merit Promotion	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Full Time Bureaucrat	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Examination System	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Law Kachi Plain - Pre-Urban Period (pk_kachi_pre_urban)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Lawyer	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Judge	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Formal Legal Code	Absent Inferred	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Court	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Specialized Buildings: polity owned Kachi Plain - Pre-Urban Period (pk_kachi_pre_urban)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Market	Present Inferred	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Irrigation System	Present Inferred	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Food Storage Site	Present Inferred	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Drinking Water Supply System	Unknown Suspected	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Transport Infrastructure Kachi Plain - Pre-Urban Period (pk_kachi_pre_urban)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Road	Unknown Suspected	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Port	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Canal	Unknown Suspected	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Bridge	Unknown Suspected	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Special-purpose Sites Kachi Plain - Pre-Urban Period (pk_kachi_pre_urban)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Mines or Quarry	Unknown Suspected	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Information / Writing System Kachi Plain - Pre-Urban Period (pk_kachi_pre_urban)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Written Record	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Script	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Phonetic Alphabetic Writing	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Nonwritten Record	Unknown Suspected	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Non Phonetic Writing	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Mnemonic Device	Unknown Suspected	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Information / Kinds of Written Documents Kachi Plain - Pre-Urban Period (pk_kachi_pre_urban)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Scientific Literature	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Sacred Text	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Religious Literature	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Practical Literature	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Philosophy	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Lists Tables and Classification	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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History	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Fiction	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Calendar	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Information / Money Kachi Plain - Pre-Urban Period (pk_kachi_pre_urban)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Token	Present Inferred	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Precious Metal	Unknown	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Paper Currency	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Indigenous Coin	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Foreign Coin	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Information / Postal System Kachi Plain - Pre-Urban Period (pk_kachi_pre_urban)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Postal Station	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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General Postal Service	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Courier	Absent Inferred	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Information / Measurement System Kachi Plain - Pre-Urban Period (pk_kachi_pre_urban)

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

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications Kachi Plain - Pre-Urban Period (pk_kachi_pre_urban)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wooden Palisade	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Stone Walls Non Mortared	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Stone Walls Mortared	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Settlements in a Defensive Position	Absent Inferred	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Modern Fortification	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Moat	Unknown Suspected	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Fortified Camp	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Earth Rampart	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Ditch	Unknown Suspected	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Complex Fortification	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Long Wall	absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Military use of Metals Kachi Plain - Pre-Urban Period (pk_kachi_pre_urban)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Steel	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Iron	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Bronze	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Projectiles Kachi Plain - Pre-Urban Period (pk_kachi_pre_urban)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Tension Siege Engine	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Sling Siege Engine	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Sling	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Self Bow	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Javelin	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Handheld Firearm	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Gunpowder Siege Artillery	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Crossbow	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Composite Bow	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Atlatl	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Handheld weapons Kachi Plain - Pre-Urban Period (pk_kachi_pre_urban)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
War Club	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Sword	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Spear	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Polearm	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Dagger	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Battle Axe	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Animals used in warfare Kachi Plain - Pre-Urban Period (pk_kachi_pre_urban)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Horse	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Elephant	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Donkey	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Dog	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Camel	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Armor Kachi Plain - Pre-Urban Period (pk_kachi_pre_urban)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wood Bark Etc	Unknown Suspected	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Shield	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Scaled Armor	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Plate Armor	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Limb Protection	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Leather Cloth	Unknown Suspected	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Laminar Armor	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Helmet	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Chainmail	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Breastplate	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Naval technology Kachi Plain - Pre-Urban Period (pk_kachi_pre_urban)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Military Vessel	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Small Vessels Canoes Etc	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service	Absent	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Economy Variables (Luxury Goods)

Religion Variables

Moralizing Supernatural Punishment and Reward Kachi Plain - Pre-Urban Period (pk_kachi_pre_urban)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Moralizing Enforcement is Broad	Unknown	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Moralizing Supernatural Concern is Primary	Unknown	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Agentic	Unknown	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement in This Life	Unknown	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Moralizing Supernatural Punishment And Reward	Unknown	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Commoners	Unknown	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Targeted	Unknown	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement in Afterlife	Unknown	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Elites	Unknown	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement of Rulers	Unknown	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Certain	Unknown	3200 BCE 2500 BCE
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Human Sacrifice Kachi Plain - Pre-Urban Period (pk_kachi_pre_urban)

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