Home Region: Northeast Asia (East Asia)

Nara Kingdom

710 CE 794 CE

D G SC WF R

EQ 2020 jp_nara / JpNara*

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General Description

General description
The Nara period (710-794CE) begins with the creation of a specially built imperial capital, laid out in a 20sq km grid, modelled on T’ang Chinese capital, Ch’ang-an. ^[1]
Japan’s geography, provided some insulation from unwanted incursions from the continent, and allowed the court to exert some control over external political relationships. ^[2] However, during this period Japan was engaged in a vassalage relationship with T’ang China which influenced many aspects of Japanese culture, from city planning to the ‘ideal of imperial rule’. ^[3] The state used its military prowess to exert control over much of the territory of the archipelago, although the northern and southern extremes remained beyond centralized control. ^[4]
The Peak Date can be considered to run from 781-794CE which has been idealized as ‘when Japanese rulers most closely approached the ideal reigns of the sage-kings of ancient China.’ ^[5] Nara period ends with permanent relocation of the capital to Kyoto.
Population and political organization
Imperial rule was direct and legitimised by divine descent. ^[6] ^[7]
The government continued to strengthen and centralize its rule with administration and legal reforms inspired by the Chinese ritsuryo system. ^[1] The complex administration was arranged in offices which came into existence at different times, and were solidified in the code of 701 and the Yoro code of 718 ^[8]
Population for this period, as estimated by Farris, ranges from roughly 5 to 7 million. ^[9] ^[10]

[1]: Henshall, Kenneth .2012. A History of Japan: From Stone Age to Superpower. Palgrave Macmillan. New York. [Third Edition]p.24

[2]: Shively, Donald H. and McCullough, William H. 2008. The Cambridge History of Japan Volume 2: Heian Japan. Cambridge Histories Online © Cambridge University Press.p.83

[3]: Brown, Delmer M. 1993. The Cambridge History of Japan Volume 1: Ancient Japan. Cambridge Histories Online © Cambridge University Press.p.453

[4]: Batten, Bruce. 1999, "Frontiers and Boundaries of Pre-Modern Japan." Journal of Historical Geography 25(2). pp.167

[5]: Shively, Donald H. and McCullough, William H. 2008. The Cambridge History of Japan Volume 2: Heian Japan. Cambridge Histories Online ©Cambridge University Press.pp.1-2

[6]: Henshall, Kenneth .2012. A History of Japan: From Stone Age to Superpower. Palgrave Macmillan. New York. [Third Edition]p.25

[7]: Brown, Delmer M. 1993. The Cambridge History of Japan Volume 1: Ancient Japan. Cambridge Histories Online © Cambridge University Press.p.221

[8]: Brown, Delmer M. 1993. The Cambridge History of Japan Volume 1: Ancient Japan. Cambridge Histories Online © Cambridge University Press.p.232-233

[9]: Farris, William Wayne. 2006. Japan’s Medieval Population: Famine, Fertility, and Warfare in a Transformative Age. University of Hawaii Press.p.8

[10]: Deal, William E. 2005. Handbook to Life in Medieval and Early Modern Japan. Oxford University Press.p.89

General Variables

Identity and Location

1 Utm Zone

1 Original Name

1 Capital

Temporal Bounds

1 Peak Years

1 Duration

Political and Cultural Relations

1 Supracultural Entity

1 Succeeding Entity

1 Scale of Supracultural Interaction

1 Relationship to preceding Entity

1 Polity Succession

1 Degree of Centralization

Language

1 Linguistic Family

1 Language

Religion

1 Religion Genus

1 Religion Family

1 Alternate Religion Genus

1 Alternate Religion Family

1 Alternate 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 Administrative Level

Professions

1 Professional Soldier

1 Professional Priesthood

1 Professional Military Officer

Bureaucracy Characteristics

1 Merit Promotion

1 Full Time Bureaucrat

1 Examination System

Law

1 Professional Lawyer

1 Judge

1 Formal Legal Code

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 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

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

2 Plate Armor

1 Limb Protection

1 Leather Cloth

1 Laminar Armor

1 Helmet

1 Chainmail

1 Breastplate

Naval technology

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

7 Power Transition

Instability Events

6 Instability Event

NGA Settlements:

Year Range	Nara Kingdom (jp_nara) was in:
(710 CE 793 CE)	Kansai

Home NGA: None

General Variables

Identity and Location Nara Kingdom (jp_nara)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Utm Zone	53 S	710 CE 794 CE
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Original Name	Kansai - Nara Period	710 CE 794 CE
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Capital	Nara	710 CE 794 CE
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Temporal Bounds Nara Kingdom (jp_nara)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More
Peak Years	[781 CE ➜ 794 CE]
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Duration	[710 CE ➜ 794 CE]
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Political and Cultural Relations Nara Kingdom (jp_nara)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Supracultural Entity	T'ang China	710 CE 794 CE
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Succeeding Entity	Kansai - Heian Period	710 CE 794 CE
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Scale of Supracultural Interaction	5,400,000 km²	710 CE 794 CE
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Relationship to Preceding Entity	continuity	710 CE 794 CE
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Preceding Entity	continuity; Kansai - Asuka Period [continuity] Update here
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Degree of Centralization	unitary state	710 CE 794 CE
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Language Nara Kingdom (jp_nara)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Linguistic Family	Japonic	710 CE 794 CE
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Language	Old Japanese	710 CE 794 CE
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Religion Nara Kingdom (jp_nara)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Religion Genus	Shinto	710 CE 794 CE
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Religion Family	Japanese State Shinto	710 CE 794 CE
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Alternate Religion Genus	Buddhism	710 CE 794 CE
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Alternate Religion Family	Japanese Buddhism	710 CE 794 CE
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Alternate Religion	Uncoded Undecided	710 CE 794 CE
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Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale Nara Kingdom (jp_nara)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Population of the Largest Settlement	[100,000 to 250,000] people	710 CE 794 CE
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Polity Territory	- Undecided	710 CE 794 CE
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Polity Population	[5,800,000 to 6,400,000] people	730 CE
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Hierarchical Complexity Nara Kingdom (jp_nara)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Settlement Hierarchy	4	710 CE 794 CE
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Religious Level	- Undecided	710 CE 794 CE
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Administrative Level	5	710 CE 794 CE
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Professions Nara Kingdom (jp_nara)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Soldier	Present	710 CE 794 CE
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Professional Priesthood	Present	710 CE 794 CE
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Professional Military Officer	Present	710 CE 794 CE
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Bureaucracy Characteristics Nara Kingdom (jp_nara)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Merit Promotion	Present	710 CE 794 CE
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Full Time Bureaucrat	Present	710 CE 794 CE
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Examination System	Present	710 CE 794 CE
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Law Nara Kingdom (jp_nara)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Lawyer	Absent	710 CE 794 CE
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Judge	Present	710 CE 794 CE
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Formal Legal Code	Present	710 CE 794 CE
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Specialized Buildings: polity owned Nara Kingdom (jp_nara)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Market	Present	710 CE 794 CE
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Irrigation System	Present	710 CE 794 CE
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Food Storage Site	Present	710 CE 794 CE
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Drinking Water Supply System	Absent	710 CE 794 CE
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Transport Infrastructure Nara Kingdom (jp_nara)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Road	Present	710 CE 794 CE
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Port	Present	710 CE 794 CE
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Canal	Present	710 CE 794 CE
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Bridge	Present	710 CE 794 CE
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Special-purpose Sites Nara Kingdom (jp_nara)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Mines or Quarry	Present	710 CE 794 CE
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Information / Writing System Nara Kingdom (jp_nara)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Written Record	Present	710 CE 794 CE
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Script	Present	710 CE 794 CE
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Phonetic Alphabetic Writing	Present	710 CE 794 CE
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Nonwritten Record	Unknown	710 CE 794 CE
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Mnemonic Device	Unknown	710 CE 794 CE
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Information / Kinds of Written Documents Nara Kingdom (jp_nara)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Scientific Literature	Present	710 CE 794 CE
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Sacred Text	Present	710 CE 794 CE
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Religious Literature	Present	710 CE 794 CE
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Practical Literature	Present	710 CE 794 CE
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Philosophy	Present	710 CE 794 CE
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Lists Tables and Classification	Present	710 CE 794 CE
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History	Present	710 CE 794 CE
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Fiction	Absent	710 CE 794 CE
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Calendar	Present	710 CE 794 CE
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Information / Money Nara Kingdom (jp_nara)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Token	Unknown	710 CE 794 CE
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Precious Metal	Present	710 CE 794 CE
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Paper Currency	Absent	710 CE 794 CE
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Indigenous Coin	Present	710 CE 794 CE
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Foreign Coin	Present Inferred	710 CE 794 CE
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Article	Present	710 CE 794 CE
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Information / Postal System Nara Kingdom (jp_nara)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Postal Station	Present	710 CE 794 CE
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General Postal Service	Absent	710 CE 794 CE
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Courier	Absent	710 CE 794 CE
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Information / Measurement System Nara Kingdom (jp_nara)

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

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications Nara Kingdom (jp_nara)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wooden Palisade	Present	710 CE 794 CE
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Stone Walls Non Mortared	Absent	710 CE 794 CE
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Stone Walls Mortared	Absent	710 CE 794 CE
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Settlements in a Defensive Position	Present	710 CE 794 CE
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Modern Fortification	Absent	710 CE 794 CE
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Moat	Present	710 CE 794 CE
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Fortified Camp	Unknown Suspected	710 CE 794 CE
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Earth Rampart	Present	710 CE 794 CE
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Ditch	Present	710 CE 794 CE
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Complex Fortification	Present	710 CE 794 CE
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Long Wall	unknown Suspected	710 CE 794 CE
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Military use of Metals Nara Kingdom (jp_nara)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Steel	Present	710 CE 794 CE
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Iron	Present	710 CE 794 CE
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Copper	Present Inferred	710 CE 794 CE
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Bronze	Present Inferred	710 CE 794 CE
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Projectiles Nara Kingdom (jp_nara)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Tension Siege Engine	Absent	710 CE 794 CE
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Sling Siege Engine	Unknown Suspected	710 CE 794 CE
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Sling	Absent	710 CE 794 CE
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Self Bow	Unknown Suspected	710 CE 794 CE
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Javelin	Unknown Suspected	710 CE 794 CE
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Handheld Firearm	Absent	710 CE 794 CE
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Gunpowder Siege Artillery	Absent	710 CE 794 CE
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Crossbow	Present	710 CE 794 CE
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Composite Bow	Present	710 CE 794 CE
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Atlatl	Absent Inferred	710 CE 794 CE
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Handheld weapons Nara Kingdom (jp_nara)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
War Club	Present Inferred	710 CE 794 CE
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Sword	Present	710 CE 794 CE
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Spear	Present	710 CE 794 CE
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Polearm	Present	710 CE 794 CE
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Dagger	Unknown Suspected	710 CE 794 CE
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Battle Axe	Unknown Suspected	710 CE 794 CE
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Animals used in warfare Nara Kingdom (jp_nara)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Horse	Present	710 CE 794 CE
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Elephant	Absent	710 CE 794 CE
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Donkey	Unknown Suspected	710 CE 794 CE
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Dog	Unknown Suspected	710 CE 794 CE
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Camel	Absent	710 CE 794 CE
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Armor Nara Kingdom (jp_nara)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wood Bark Etc	Unknown Suspected	710 CE 794 CE
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Shield	Present	710 CE 794 CE
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Scaled Armor	Present	710 CE 794 CE
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Plate Armor	Present Uncertain	710 CE 794 CE
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Plate Armor	Absent Uncertain	710 CE 794 CE
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Limb Protection	Present	710 CE 794 CE
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Leather Cloth	Present	710 CE 794 CE
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Laminar Armor	Present	710 CE 794 CE
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Helmet	Present	710 CE 794 CE
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Chainmail	Absent Inferred	710 CE 794 CE
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Breastplate	Present Inferred	710 CE 794 CE
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Naval technology Nara Kingdom (jp_nara)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Small Vessels Canoes Etc	Present	710 CE 794 CE
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Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service	Unknown Suspected	710 CE 794 CE
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Economy Variables (Luxury Goods)

Religion Variables

Moralizing Supernatural Punishment and Reward Nara Kingdom (jp_nara)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Moralizing Enforcement is Broad	Absent	710 CE 794 CE
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Moralizing Supernatural Concern is Primary	Absent	710 CE 794 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Agentic	Absent	710 CE 794 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement in This Life	Absent	710 CE 794 CE
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Moralizing Supernatural Punishment And Reward	Absent	710 CE 794 CE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Commoners	Absent	710 CE 794 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Targeted	Absent	710 CE 794 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement in Afterlife	Absent	710 CE 794 CE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Elites	Absent	710 CE 794 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement of Rulers	Absent	710 CE 794 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Certain	Absent	710 CE 794 CE
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Human Sacrifice Nara Kingdom (jp_nara)

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