Home Region: North China (East Asia)

Western Zhou

1122 BCE 771 BCE

D G SC WF R CC

EQ 2020 cn_western_zhou_dyn / CnWZhou

Preceding Entity: Add one more here.

1250 BCE 1045 BCE Late Shang (cn_late_shang_dyn) [elite replacement]

Succeeding Entity: Add one more here.

780 BCE 404 BCE Jin (cn_jin_spring_and_autumn) [elite replacement]

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General Description

The Western Zhou Dynasty was the first Chinese state to claim the Mandate of Heaven, the divinely bestowed right to rule. Zhou was a tributary state to Shang until the Zhou king Zhou Wu Wang defeated the last king of Shang in the 1046 BCE Battle of Muye. ^[1] Zhou power was consolidated after the Duke of Zhou’s defeat of the Rebellion of the Three Guards, led by Shang loyalists and separatist eastern nobles. ^[2] In defeating the rebellion, the Zhou state was able to add a large area of land in eastern China to its territory. ^[1]
The Western Zhou established their capital at Haojing, and the Duke of Zhou later established Chengzhou as a second capital. ^[3] In 957 BCE, the Zhou controlled territory covering an estimated 850,000 square kilometres based in the central plains of China.
The period was peaceful for the first 75 years of Zhou rule. ^[4] However, the decentralization of Zhou power into fiefdoms encouraged turmoil between states, popular unrest, and vassal rebellions. ^[4] The Marquess of Shen sacked Haojing and killed the 12th Zhou king over a succession dispute in 771 BCE. ^[5] The crown prince subsequently moved the capital to Luoyang and founded the Eastern Zhou dynasty.
The Western Zhou are noted for their introduction of the Mandate of Heaven, their kinship-based feudal system and their use of lineage law. ^[6] The state’s kinship-based feudal system encouraged the spread of Zhou writing, culture and identity. ^[7] Some scholars have seen Zhou lineage law, with its emphasis on ’lineage rituals, familial ethics, and beneficent rule’, as an intellectual precursor of Confucianism. ^[7] The hierarchies, division of labour and meritocratic practices that emerged under the Western Zhou also helped lay the foundations for the introduction of bureaucracy. ^[7]
Population and political organization
The Western Zhou state was a proto-feudal monarchy in which feudal lords were supported by an extended family network. ^[8] The first king of Zhou introduced the fengjian system, which made military leaders and members of the royal family into regional lords ruling over parcels of land. ^[9] These fiefdoms were then divided into smaller units and distributed to members of the local rulers’ families. ^[8]
Individual fiefdoms had their own taxes, legal systems, and currencies but paid dues to the king and provided soldiers in times of need. ^[9] This system eventually led to decentralization and the weakening of Zhou rule. ^[9]
It is difficult to obtain population figures for the Western Zhou period. C. K. Maisels has given an estimate of 13.5 million people in 800 BCE. ^[10]

[1]: (San 2014, 30) San, Tan Koon. 2014. Dynastic China: An Elementary History. Malaysia: The Other Press. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/TB95WB7F.

[2]: (San 2014, 31) San, Tan Koon. 2014. Dynastic China: An Elementary History. Malaysia: The Other Press. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/TB95WB7F.

[3]: (Theobald 2000) Theobald, Ulrich. 2000. “Zhou History.” http://www.chinaknowledge.de/History/Zhou/zhou.html Accessed May 31, 2017. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/V8ABGJAF.

[4]: (Shaughnessy 1999, 310-11) Shaughnessy, Edward L. 1999. “Western Zhou History.” In The Cambridge History of Ancient China edited by Michael Loewe and Edward L. Shaughnessy. Cambridge: CUP. 292-351. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/GEZH7945.

[5]: (San 2014, 34) San, Tan Koon. 2014. Dynastic China: An Elementary History. Malaysia: The Other Press. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/TB95WB7F.

[6]: (Zhao 2015, 79) Zhao, Dingxin. 2015. The Confucian-Legalist State: A New Theory of Chinese History. Oxford: OUP. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/Z4ASKKD5.

[7]: (Zhao 2015, 80) Zhao, Dingxin. 2015. The Confucian-Legalist State: A New Theory of Chinese History. Oxford: OUP. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/Z4ASKKD5.

[8]: (San 2014, 29) San, Tan Koon. 2014. Dynastic China: An Elementary History. Malaysia: The Other Press. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/TB95WB7F.

[9]: (Roberts 1999, 9-12) Roberts. John A.G. 1999. A Concise History of China. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/GEZH7945.

[10]: (Maisels 2001, 260) Maisels, C. K. 2001. Early Civilizations of the Old World: The Formative Histories of Egypt, the Levant, Mesopotamia, India, and China. Routledge: London. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/P9IXAB56.

General Variables

Identity and Location

1 Utm Zone

1 Original Name

2 Capital

4 Alternative Name

Temporal Bounds

1 Peak Years

1 Duration

Political and Cultural Relations

1 Suprapolity Relations

1 Succeeding Entity

1 Relationship to preceding Entity

2 Polity Succession

2 Degree of Centralization

Language

1 Linguistic Family

1 Language

Religion

1 Religion Genus

1 Religion Family

1 Alternate Religion

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale

2 Population of the Largest Settlement

4 Polity Territory

2 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

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 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

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 Donkey

1 Dog

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

2 Crisis Consequence

Power Transitions Coding in Progress.

Instability Events

7 Instability Event

NGA Settlements:

Year Range	Western Zhou (cn_western_zhou_dyn) was in:
(1045 BCE 795 BCE)	Middle Yellow River Valley

Home NGA: Middle Yellow River Valley

General Variables

Identity and Location Western Zhou (cn_western_zhou_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Utm Zone	50 S	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Original Name	Western Zhou	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Capital	Zhongzhou	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Capital	Hao	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Alternative Name	Zhou Dynasty	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Alternative Name	Chou Dynasty	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Alternative Name	Zhou	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Alternative Name	Chou	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Temporal Bounds Western Zhou (cn_western_zhou_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More
Peak Years	[950 BCE ➜ 925 BCE]
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Duration	[1122 BCE ➜ 771 BCE]
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Political and Cultural Relations Western Zhou (cn_western_zhou_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Suprapolity Relations	cn_western_zhou_dyn alliance with cn_jin_spring_and_autumn	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Succeeding Entity	Zhou Kingdom	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Relationship to Preceding Entity	elite migration	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Preceding Entity 1250 BCE 1045 BCE	Late Shang (cn_late_shang_dyn) [elite replacement]
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Succeeding Entity 780 BCE 404 BCE	Jin (cn_jin_spring_and_autumn) [elite replacement]
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Degree of Centralization	loose	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Degree of Centralization	unitary state	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Language Western Zhou (cn_western_zhou_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Linguistic Family	Sino-Tibetan	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Language	Chinese	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Religion Western Zhou (cn_western_zhou_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Religion Genus	Chinese State Religion	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Religion Family	Western Zhou Religion	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Alternate Religion	Uncoded Undecided	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale Western Zhou (cn_western_zhou_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Population of the Largest Settlement	100,000 people	1045 BCE 901 BCE
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Population of the Largest Settlement	125,000 people	900 BCE 795 BCE
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Polity Territory	850,000 km²	1,100 BCE
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Polity Territory	850,000 km²	1,000 BCE
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Polity Territory	850,000 km²	900 BCE
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Polity Territory	850,000 km²	800 BCE
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Polity Population	[9,000,000 to 12,000,000] people	1045 BCE 957 BCE
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Polity Population	13,500,000 people	956 BCE 795 BCE
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Hierarchical Complexity Western Zhou (cn_western_zhou_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Settlement Hierarchy	5	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Religious Level	[2 to 3]	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Military Level	[5 to 7]	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Administrative Level	[4 to 5]	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Professions Western Zhou (cn_western_zhou_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Soldier	Present Inferred	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Professional Priesthood	Present	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Professional Military Officer	Unknown	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Bureaucracy Characteristics Western Zhou (cn_western_zhou_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Government Building	Present	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Merit Promotion	Present Inferred	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Full Time Bureaucrat	Present	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Examination System	Absent Inferred	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Law Western Zhou (cn_western_zhou_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Lawyer	Unknown Suspected	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Judge	Present	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Formal Legal Code	Unknown Suspected	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Court	Present Inferred	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Specialized Buildings: polity owned Western Zhou (cn_western_zhou_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Market	Present Inferred	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Irrigation System	Present	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Transport Infrastructure Western Zhou (cn_western_zhou_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Road	Present	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Port	Unknown Suspected	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Canal	Present	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Bridge	Present Inferred	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Special-purpose Sites Western Zhou (cn_western_zhou_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Mines or Quarry	Present Inferred	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Information / Writing System Western Zhou (cn_western_zhou_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Written Record	Present	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Script	Present	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Phonetic Alphabetic Writing	Absent	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Nonwritten Record	Present Inferred	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Non Phonetic Writing	Present	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Mnemonic Device	Uncoded Undecided	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Information / Kinds of Written Documents Western Zhou (cn_western_zhou_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Scientific Literature	Present Inferred	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Religious Literature	Present	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Practical Literature	Present	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Philosophy	Unknown Suspected	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Lists Tables and Classification	Present Inferred	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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History	Present Inferred	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Fiction	Present	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Calendar	Present Inferred	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Information / Money Western Zhou (cn_western_zhou_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Token	Present	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Precious Metal	Unknown Suspected	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Paper Currency	Absent	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Indigenous Coin	Absent Inferred	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Foreign Coin	Absent Inferred	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Article	Present	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Information / Postal System Western Zhou (cn_western_zhou_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Postal Station	Present Inferred	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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General Postal Service	Absent Inferred	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Courier	Present Inferred	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Information / Measurement System Western Zhou (cn_western_zhou_dyn)

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

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications Western Zhou (cn_western_zhou_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wooden Palisade	Present Inferred	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Stone Walls Non Mortared	Present Inferred	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Stone Walls Mortared	Unknown Suspected	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Settlements in a Defensive Position	Unknown Suspected	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Modern Fortification	Absent	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Moat	Present	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Fortified Camp	Unknown Suspected	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Earth Rampart	Present	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Ditch	Present	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Complex Fortification	Present	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Long Wall	absent	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Military use of Metals Western Zhou (cn_western_zhou_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Steel	Absent	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Iron	Absent Inferred	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Copper	Present	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Bronze	Present	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Projectiles Western Zhou (cn_western_zhou_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Tension Siege Engine	Unknown Suspected	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Sling Siege Engine	Absent Inferred	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Sling	Present	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Self Bow	Present Inferred	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Javelin	Unknown Suspected	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Handheld Firearm	Absent	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Gunpowder Siege Artillery	Absent	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Crossbow	Absent	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Composite Bow	Present	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Atlatl	Absent	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Handheld weapons Western Zhou (cn_western_zhou_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
War Club	Present	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Sword	Present Inferred	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Spear	Present	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Polearm	Present	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Dagger	Present	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Battle Axe	Present	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Animals used in warfare Western Zhou (cn_western_zhou_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Horse	Present	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Donkey	Present	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Dog	Absent	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Armor Western Zhou (cn_western_zhou_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wood Bark Etc	Present Inferred	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Shield	Present	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Scaled Armor	Absent Inferred	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Plate Armor	Present	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Limb Protection	Present Inferred	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Leather Cloth	Present	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Laminar Armor	Present Inferred	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Helmet	Present	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Chainmail	Absent Inferred	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Breastplate	Present Inferred	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Naval technology Western Zhou (cn_western_zhou_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Military Vessel	Unknown Suspected	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Small Vessels Canoes Etc	Present	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service	Absent	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Economy Variables (Luxury Goods)

Religion Variables

Moralizing Supernatural Punishment and Reward Western Zhou (cn_western_zhou_dyn)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Moralizing Enforcement is Broad	Absent Disputed	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Moralizing Supernatural Concern is Primary	Absent	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Agentic	Absent Disputed	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement in This Life	Present Disputed	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Moralizing Supernatural Punishment And Reward	Absent Disputed	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Commoners	Absent	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Targeted	Absent Disputed	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement in Afterlife	Absent Inferred	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Elites	Absent Disputed	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement of Rulers	Absent Disputed	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Certain	Absent Disputed	1122 BCE 771 BCE
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Human Sacrifice Western Zhou (cn_western_zhou_dyn)

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