Home Region: Mississippi Basin (North America)

Oneota

1400 CE 1650 CE

D G SC WF

EQ 2020 us_oneota / USOneot

Preceding Entity: Add one more here.

1275 CE 1400 CE Cahokia - Sand Prairie (us_cahokia_3) [population replacement]

Succeeding Entity: Add one more here.

1640 CE 1717 CE Early Illinois Confederation (us_early_illinois_confederation) [population replacement]

General Description

’Oneota’ is the modern name given to a group of late prehistoric or protohistoric cultures, known solely from their material remains and centred on modern-day Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin in the Midwestern United States. ^[1] Oneota migrations can be traced archaeologically: for instance, some groups using Oneota-style material culture began appearing alongside Mississippian populations in the American Bottom region (modern southwestern Illinois) during the Sand Prairie phase (c. 1275-1400 CE). ^[2] We are concerned here with the period of Oneota activity between c. 1400 and 1650 CE, but it should be noted that the roots of the tradition are to be found before 1400. Small quantities of European trade goods appear in the Illinois archaeological record around the beginning of the 17th century CE, marking the beginning of the ’protohistoric’ period in this region. ^[3]
Population and political organization
Oneota society was relatively egalitarian, more so than the preceding Mississippian cultures: there is a lack of evidence from Oneota settlements or funerary contexts for inherited status or class distinctions. ^[4] It has been suggested that political leadership was provided by ’big men’, who relied on informal support from village populations and could not pass on their positions to their children. ^[4]
Reliable estimates for the size of the Oneota population between 1400 and 1650 CE are lacking. ^[5]

[1]: (Hall 1997, 142) Hall, Robert L. 1997. An Archaeology of the Soul: North American Indian Belief and Ritual. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/8KH357GV.

[2]: (Pauketat 1994, 47) Pauketat, Timothy R. 1994. The Ascent of Chiefs: Cahokia and Mississippian Politics in Native North America. Tuscaloosa, AL: University of Alabama Press. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/NJHPTUJ8.

[3]: (Emerson and Brown 1992, 102) Emerson, Thomas E., and James A. Brown. 1992. "The Late Prehistory and Protohistory of Illinois." In Calumet and Fleur-De-Lys: French and Indian Interaction in the Midcontinent, edited by J. Walthall and T. Emerson, 77-125. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/C877T4HD.

[4]: (Gibbon 2001, 390-91) Gibbon, Guy E. 2001. "Oneota." In Encyclopedia of Prehistory, Volume 6: North America, edited by Peter N. Peregrine and Melvin Ember, 389-407. New York: Springer Science+Business Media. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/QU7PNRMC.

[5]: (Hart 1990, 570-71) Hart, John P. 1990. "Modeling Oneota Agricultural Production: A Cross-Cultural Evaluation." Current Anthropology 31 (5): 569-77. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/MJKQA3W5.

General Variables

Identity and Location

1 Utm Zone

1 Original Name

1 Capital

4 Alternative Name

Temporal Bounds

1 Duration

Political and Cultural Relations

1 Succeeding Entity

1 Relationship to preceding Entity

2 Polity Succession

1 Degree of Centralization

Language

1 Linguistic Family

Religion

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale

1 Population of the Largest Settlement

1 Polity Territory

Hierarchical Complexity

1 Settlement Hierarchy

1 Religious Level

1 Military Level

1 Administrative Level

Professions

1 Professional Priesthood

Bureaucracy Characteristics

1 Specialized Government Building

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

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

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 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

1 Weight Measurement System

1 Volume Measurement System

1 Time Measurement System

1 Other Measurement System

1 Length Measurement System

1 Geometrical Measurement System

1 Area 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

2 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 Limb Protection

1 Leather Cloth

1 Helmet

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	Oneota (us_oneota) was in:
(1400 CE 1639 CE)	Cahokia

Home NGA: Cahokia

General Variables

Identity and Location Oneota (us_oneota)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Utm Zone	15 S	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Original Name	Oneota	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Capital	None (Absent Capital)	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Alternative Name	Oneota Classic Horizon	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Alternative Name	Fisher Phase	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Alternative Name	Huber Phase	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Alternative Name	Bold Counselor Phase	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Temporal Bounds Oneota (us_oneota)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More
Duration	[1400 CE ➜ 1650 CE]
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Political and Cultural Relations Oneota (us_oneota)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Succeeding Entity	Early Illinois Confederation	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Relationship to Preceding Entity	population migration	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Preceding Entity 1275 CE 1400 CE	Cahokia - Sand Prairie (us_cahokia_3) [population replacement]
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Succeeding Entity 1640 CE 1717 CE	Early Illinois Confederation (us_early_illinois_confederation) [population replacement]
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Degree of Centralization	quasi-polity	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Language Oneota (us_oneota)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Linguistic Family	NO_VALUE_ON_WIKI	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Religion Oneota (us_oneota)

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

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale Oneota (us_oneota)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Population of the Largest Settlement	200 people	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Polity Territory	6,000 km²	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Hierarchical Complexity Oneota (us_oneota)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Settlement Hierarchy	[2 to 3]	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Religious Level	1	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Military Level	[1 to 2]	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Administrative Level	1	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Professions Oneota (us_oneota)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Priesthood	Absent	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Bureaucracy Characteristics Oneota (us_oneota)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Government Building	Unknown Suspected	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Examination System	Absent	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Law Oneota (us_oneota)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Lawyer	Absent	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Judge	Absent	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Formal Legal Code	Absent	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Court	Absent	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Specialized Buildings: polity owned Oneota (us_oneota)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Market	Absent Inferred	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Irrigation System	Absent Inferred	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Food Storage Site	Present	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Transport Infrastructure Oneota (us_oneota)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Road	Absent Inferred	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Port	Absent Inferred	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Canal	Absent	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Bridge	Absent	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Special-purpose Sites Oneota (us_oneota)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Mines or Quarry	Present Inferred	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Information / Writing System Oneota (us_oneota)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Written Record	Absent	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Script	Absent	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Phonetic Alphabetic Writing	Absent	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Information / Kinds of Written Documents Oneota (us_oneota)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Scientific Literature	Absent	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Sacred Text	Absent	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Religious Literature	Absent	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Practical Literature	Absent	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Philosophy	Absent	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Lists Tables and Classification	Absent	1400 CE 1650 CE
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History	Absent	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Fiction	Absent	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Calendar	Absent	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Information / Money Oneota (us_oneota)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Token	Unknown Suspected	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Paper Currency	Absent	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Indigenous Coin	Absent	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Foreign Coin	Absent	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Article	Unknown Suspected	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Information / Postal System Oneota (us_oneota)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Postal Station	Uncoded Undecided	1400 CE 1650 CE
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General Postal Service	Uncoded Undecided	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Courier	Uncoded Undecided	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Information / Measurement System Oneota (us_oneota)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Weight Measurement System	Uncoded Undecided	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Volume Measurement System	Uncoded Undecided	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Time Measurement System	Uncoded Undecided	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Other Measurement System	Uncoded Undecided	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Length Measurement System	Uncoded Undecided	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Geometrical Measurement System	Uncoded Undecided	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Area Measurement System	Uncoded Undecided	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications Oneota (us_oneota)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wooden Palisade	Present Inferred	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Stone Walls Non Mortared	Unknown Suspected	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Stone Walls Mortared	Unknown Suspected	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Settlements in a Defensive Position	Present	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Modern Fortification	Absent	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Moat	Unknown Suspected	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Fortified Camp	Unknown Suspected	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Earth Rampart	Unknown Suspected	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Ditch	Unknown Suspected	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Complex Fortification	Unknown Suspected	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Long Wall	absent	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Military use of Metals Oneota (us_oneota)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Steel	Absent	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Iron	Absent	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Copper	Absent	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Bronze	Absent	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Projectiles Oneota (us_oneota)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Tension Siege Engine	Absent	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Sling Siege Engine	Absent	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Sling	Absent	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Self Bow	Present	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Javelin	Absent	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Handheld Firearm	Absent	1400 CE 1500 CE
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Handheld Firearm	Present	1500 CE 1640 CE
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Gunpowder Siege Artillery	Absent	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Crossbow	Absent	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Composite Bow	Absent	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Atlatl	Absent	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Handheld weapons Oneota (us_oneota)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
War Club	Present Inferred	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Sword	Absent	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Spear	Present	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Polearm	Absent	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Dagger	Unknown Suspected	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Battle Axe	Present Inferred	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Animals used in warfare Oneota (us_oneota)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Horse	Absent	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Elephant	Absent	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Donkey	Absent	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Dog	Unknown Suspected	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Camel	Absent	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Armor Oneota (us_oneota)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wood Bark Etc	Unknown Suspected	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Shield	Absent Inferred	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Limb Protection	Absent Inferred	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Leather Cloth	Unknown Suspected	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Helmet	Absent Inferred	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Breastplate	Absent Inferred	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Naval technology Oneota (us_oneota)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Military Vessel	Unknown Suspected	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Small Vessels Canoes Etc	Unknown Suspected	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service	Unknown Suspected	1400 CE 1650 CE
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Economy Variables (Luxury Goods)

Religion Variables

Moralizing Supernatural Punishment and Reward Oneota (us_oneota)

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

Human Sacrifice Oneota (us_oneota)

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