Home Region: Northeast Africa (Africa)

Egypt - Thebes-Libyan Period

1069 BCE 747 BCE

D G SC WF R CC

EQ 2020 eg_thebes_libyan / EgThebL

Preceding Entity: Add one more here.

1293 BCE 1070 BCE Egypt - New Kingdom Ramesside Period (eg_new_k_2) [elite replacement]

Succeeding Entity: Add one more here.

747 BCE 656 BCE Egypt - Kushite Period (eg_kushite) [continuity]

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General Description

The Theban-Libyan Period in Egypt (Twenty-first, Twenty-second and Twenty-third Dynasties, 1069-747 BCE) ^[1] represents another time of decentralization in Egypt and, together with the subsequent Kushite period, makes up the Third Intermediate Period. ^[2]
Population and political organization
The governments at Memphis and Thebes followed the traditional ’intermediate period’ pattern of rulers (pharaoh at Memphis, high priest at Thebes) who ran a bureaucratic system managed by a vizier and overseers of departments. ^[3] However, the vizier and overseers of the treasury and granaries were unable to project their influence over the regions ^[3] and Egypt in this period is best characterised as ’a federation of semi-autonomous rulers, nominally subject (and often related) to an overlord-king’. ^[4]
The Egyptian pharaohs of the Twenty-first Dynasty (1077-943 BCE), based at Memphis near the Nile Delta, ^[5] served only as nominal heads of state for the whole of Egypt; ^[6] a formal agreement ceded control of Middle and Upper Egypt to priest-rulers at Thebes. ^[7] ^[6] The priests, who doubled as military commanders, derived their right to rule from the oracles of the ’Theban triad’ of gods, Amun, Mut and Khons. ^[8]
The Twenty-first Dynasty pharaohs, perhaps in an effort to provide greater legitimacy for their rule over Upper Egypt, turned Tanis in the delta into a ’holy city’, building royal tombs within temples built for the Theban triad. ^[5] The most powerful pharaoh of this period, however, was the first Libyan ruler and founder of the Twenty-second Dynasty, Shoshenq I (r. 945-924 BCE). He embarked on an ’ambitious royal building programme’ and attempted to regain control of the entirety of Egypt, curtail Thebes’ independence, and expand into the Levant. ^[9] The high point did not last long. The perennial problem of Upper Egyptian independence eventually led to the formal division of the state, an imaginative if drastic solution that created a parallel Twenty-third Dynasty based in Leontopolis, or perhaps Herakleopolis. ^[10] The new dynasty was enjoined to reassert control of the south, allowing the Twenty-second Dynasty rulers to concentrate on Lower Egypt. ^[10] This did not work: by the time of Shoshenq III (r. 827-773 CE), the Twenty-second Dynasty pharaohs could barely even control the north: ’numerous local rulers - particularly in the Delta - became virtually autonomous and several declared themselves kings’. ^[11]
Unfortunately, due to scant evidence, there are no reliable population estimates for this time.

[1]: (Baines 2017) John Baines. January 2017. Seshat workshop. Oxford.

[2]: (Pagliari 2012, 183) Giulia Pagliari. 2012. ’Function and Significance of Ancient Egyptian Royal Palaces from the Middle Kingdom to the Saite Period: A Lexicographical Study and Its Possible Connection with the Archaeological Evidence’. PhD thesis, University of Birmingham.

[3]: (Taylor 2000, 337) John Taylor. 2000. ’The Third Intermediate Period (1069-664 BC)’, in The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt, edited by Ian Shaw, 324-63. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

[4]: (Taylor 2000, 338) John Taylor. 2000. ’The Third Intermediate Period (1069-664 BC)’, in The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt, edited by Ian Shaw, 324-63. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

[5]: (Taylor 2000, 327) John Taylor. 2000. ’The Third Intermediate Period (1069-664 BC)’, in The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt, edited by Ian Shaw, 324-63. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

[6]: (Van De Mieroop 2011, 270) Marc Van De Mieroop. 2011. A History of Ancient Egypt. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell.

[7]: (O’Connor 1983, 232) David O’Connor. 1983. ’Old Kingdom, Middle Kingdom and Second Intermediate Period c. 2686-1552 BC’, in Ancient Egypt: A Social History, edited by Bruce G. Trigger, Barry J. Kemp, David O’Connor and Alan B. Lloyd, 183-278. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

[8]: (Taylor 2000, 327-28) John Taylor. 2000. ’The Third Intermediate Period (1069-664 BC)’, in The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt, edited by Ian Shaw, 324-63. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

[9]: (Taylor 2000, 329) John Taylor. 2000. ’The Third Intermediate Period (1069-664 BC)’, in The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt, edited by Ian Shaw, 324-63. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

[10]: (O’Connor 1983, 233) David O’Connor. 1983. ’Old Kingdom, Middle Kingdom and Second Intermediate Period c. 2686-1552 BC’, in Ancient Egypt: A Social History, edited by Bruce G. Trigger, Barry J. Kemp, David O’Connor and Alan B. Lloyd, 183-278. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

[11]: (Taylor 2000, 330) John Taylor. 2000. ’The Third Intermediate Period (1069-664 BC)’, in The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt, edited by Ian Shaw, 324-63. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

General Variables

Identity and Location

1 Utm Zone

1 Original Name

1 Capital

3 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

2 Degree of Centralization

Language

1 Linguistic Family

1 Language

Religion

1 Religion Genus

1 Alternate Religion

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale

2 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

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

1 Article

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

2 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 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

Economy Variables (Luxury Goods) Coding in Progress.

Religion Variables Coding in Progress.

Crisis Consequence Cases

1 Crisis Consequence

Power Transitions Coding in Progress.

Instability Events

8 Instability Event

NGA Settlements:

Year Range	Egypt - Thebes-Libyan Period (eg_thebes_libyan) was in:
(1070 BCE 761 BCE)	Upper Egypt

Home NGA: Upper Egypt

General Variables

Identity and Location Egypt - Thebes-Libyan Period (eg_thebes_libyan)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Utm Zone	36 R	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Original Name	Egypt - Thebes-Libyan Period	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Capital	Memphis	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Alternative Name	Third Intermediate Period	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Alternative Name	Bubastite dynasty	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Alternative Name	Libyan dynasty	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Temporal Bounds Egypt - Thebes-Libyan Period (eg_thebes_libyan)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More
Peak Years	924 BCE
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Duration	[1069 BCE ➜ 747 BCE]
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Political and Cultural Relations Egypt - Thebes-Libyan Period (eg_thebes_libyan)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Suprapolity Relations	none	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Supracultural Entity	Libyan tribes	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Succeeding Entity	Egypt - Kushite Period	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Scale of Supracultural Interaction	350,000 km²	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Relationship to Preceding Entity	elite migration	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Succeeding Entity 747 BCE 656 BCE	Egypt - Kushite Period (eg_kushite) [continuity]
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Preceding Entity 1293 BCE 1070 BCE	Egypt - New Kingdom Ramesside Period (eg_new_k_2) [elite replacement]
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Degree of Centralization	quasi-polity	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Degree of Centralization	nominal	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Language Egypt - Thebes-Libyan Period (eg_thebes_libyan)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Linguistic Family	Afro-Asiatic	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Language	Ancient Egyptian	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Religion Egypt - Thebes-Libyan Period (eg_thebes_libyan)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Religion Genus	Egyptian Religions	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Alternate Religion	Uncoded Undecided	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale Egypt - Thebes-Libyan Period (eg_thebes_libyan)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Population of the Largest Settlement	120,000 people	1069 BCE 951 BCE
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Population of the Largest Settlement	100,000 people	950 BCE 761 BCE
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Polity Territory	[190,000 to 230,000] km²	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Polity Population	- Undecided	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Hierarchical Complexity Egypt - Thebes-Libyan Period (eg_thebes_libyan)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Settlement Hierarchy	[3 to 5]	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Religious Level	[3 to 5]	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Military Level	[4 to 6]	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Administrative Level	[5 to 7]	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Professions Egypt - Thebes-Libyan Period (eg_thebes_libyan)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Soldier	Present Inferred	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Professional Priesthood	Present	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Professional Military Officer	Present Inferred	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Bureaucracy Characteristics Egypt - Thebes-Libyan Period (eg_thebes_libyan)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Government Building	Present Inferred	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Merit Promotion	Unknown Suspected	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Full Time Bureaucrat	Present	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Examination System	Absent Inferred	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Law Egypt - Thebes-Libyan Period (eg_thebes_libyan)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Lawyer	Unknown Suspected	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Judge	Unknown Suspected	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Formal Legal Code	Unknown Suspected	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Court	Unknown Suspected	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Specialized Buildings: polity owned Egypt - Thebes-Libyan Period (eg_thebes_libyan)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Market	Present Inferred	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Irrigation System	Present Inferred	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Food Storage Site	Present	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Drinking Water Supply System	Absent	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Transport Infrastructure Egypt - Thebes-Libyan Period (eg_thebes_libyan)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Road	Present Inferred	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Port	Present Inferred	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Canal	Present Inferred	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Bridge	Present Inferred	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Special-purpose Sites Egypt - Thebes-Libyan Period (eg_thebes_libyan)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Mines or Quarry	Present	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Information / Writing System Egypt - Thebes-Libyan Period (eg_thebes_libyan)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Written Record	Present	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Script	Present	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Phonetic Alphabetic Writing	Absent	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Nonwritten Record	Present	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Non Phonetic Writing	Present	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Mnemonic Device	Unknown Suspected	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Information / Kinds of Written Documents Egypt - Thebes-Libyan Period (eg_thebes_libyan)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Scientific Literature	Present Inferred	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Sacred Text	Present Inferred	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Religious Literature	Present	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Practical Literature	Present Inferred	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Philosophy	Present Inferred	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Lists Tables and Classification	Present Inferred	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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History	Present Inferred	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Fiction	Present Inferred	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Calendar	Present	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Information / Money Egypt - Thebes-Libyan Period (eg_thebes_libyan)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Token	Unknown Suspected	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Precious Metal	Present Inferred	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Paper Currency	Absent Inferred	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Indigenous Coin	Absent Inferred	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Foreign Coin	Absent Inferred	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Article	Present	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Information / Postal System Egypt - Thebes-Libyan Period (eg_thebes_libyan)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Postal Station	Absent Inferred	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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General Postal Service	Absent Inferred	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Courier	Present Inferred	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Information / Measurement System Egypt - Thebes-Libyan Period (eg_thebes_libyan)

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

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications Egypt - Thebes-Libyan Period (eg_thebes_libyan)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wooden Palisade	Unknown Suspected	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Stone Walls Non Mortared	Present Inferred	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Stone Walls Mortared	Present Uncertain	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Stone Walls Mortared	Absent Uncertain	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Settlements in a Defensive Position	Present	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Modern Fortification	Absent	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Moat	Unknown Suspected	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Fortified Camp	Present	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Earth Rampart	Present Inferred	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Ditch	Present Inferred	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Complex Fortification	Absent	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Long Wall	absent	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Military use of Metals Egypt - Thebes-Libyan Period (eg_thebes_libyan)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Steel	Absent	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Iron	Absent	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Copper	Present Inferred	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Bronze	Present Inferred	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Projectiles Egypt - Thebes-Libyan Period (eg_thebes_libyan)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Tension Siege Engine	Absent	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Sling Siege Engine	Absent	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Sling	Present Inferred	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Self Bow	Present	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Javelin	Present Inferred	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Handheld Firearm	Absent	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Gunpowder Siege Artillery	Absent	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Crossbow	Absent Inferred	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Composite Bow	Present Inferred	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Atlatl	Absent	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Handheld weapons Egypt - Thebes-Libyan Period (eg_thebes_libyan)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
War Club	Unknown Suspected	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Sword	Present	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Spear	Present Inferred	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Polearm	Absent	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Dagger	Present Inferred	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Battle Axe	Absent Inferred	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Animals used in warfare Egypt - Thebes-Libyan Period (eg_thebes_libyan)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Horse	Present	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Donkey	Present Inferred	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Dog	Absent	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Camel	Absent Inferred	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Armor Egypt - Thebes-Libyan Period (eg_thebes_libyan)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wood Bark Etc	Present Inferred	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Shield	Present Inferred	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Scaled Armor	Present Inferred	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Plate Armor	Absent	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Limb Protection	Absent Inferred	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Leather Cloth	Present Inferred	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Laminar Armor	Absent	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Helmet	Present Inferred	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Chainmail	Absent Inferred	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Breastplate	Present Inferred	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Naval technology Egypt - Thebes-Libyan Period (eg_thebes_libyan)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Military Vessel	Present Inferred	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Small Vessels Canoes Etc	Present Inferred	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Economy Variables (Luxury Goods)

Religion Variables

Moralizing Supernatural Punishment and Reward Egypt - Thebes-Libyan Period (eg_thebes_libyan)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Moralizing Enforcement is Broad	Present	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Moralizing Supernatural Concern is Primary	Present	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Agentic	Present	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement in This Life	Present	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Moralizing Supernatural Punishment And Reward	Present	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Commoners	Present	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Targeted	Present	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement in Afterlife	Present	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Elites	Present	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement of Rulers	Present	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Certain	Present	1069 BCE 747 BCE
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Human Sacrifice Egypt - Thebes-Libyan Period (eg_thebes_libyan)

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