Home Region: North China (East Asia)

Yangshao

5000 BCE 3000 BCE

D G SC WF R

EQ 2020 cn_yangshao / CnYngsh

Preceding Entity: Add one more here.

7000 BCE 5001 BCE Peiligang (cn_peiligang) [None]

Succeeding Entity: Add one more here.

3000 BCE 1900 BCE Longshan (cn_longshan) [continuity]

General Description

Yangshao culture (Miaodigou, Xiyincun) first developed in the Loess plateau in the Holocene period. ^[1] The culture was present from 5000 to 3000 BCE, extending from the Middle Yellow River Valley to modern Qinghai and Gansu. ^[2] Yangshao sites are mainly found in the Guanzhong region in Shaanxi, eastern Gansu, western Shanxi, southern Hebei and Henan. ^[3] Yangshao subsisted on wild foods and domesticated millet. Men most likely hunted, and men and women farmed and produced goods. ^[4]
Yangshao villages were often surrounded by a ditch, and contained groups of semi-subterranean round or square houses constructed using the wattle and daub method, a graveyard and a public courtyard. ^[5] Homes contained hearths for cooking and wide benches. ^[6] Yangshao culture is characterized by the presence of painted black and red pottery featuring animals and geometric designs. ^[3] Pottery, jewelry and stone, bone and ceramic tools have been excavated from Yangshao period graves. ^[6]
Population and political organization
In the early Yangshao phase, settlements did not have any detectable hierarchies. In the later phase, structures in the settlements began to vary in size, suggesting the existence of settlement hierarchies. ^[5] In many villages, a large structure is surrounded by smaller dwellings. ^[6] However, grave goods in Yangshao burials suggest a more egalitarian society. ^[6] More information is needed on settlement hierarchy and community organization in the Yangshao period. The population of Yangshao settlements varied- smaller settlements had 70 to 80 members while larger settlements housed a few hundred. ^[1]

[1]: (Lee 2001, 335) Lee, Yun Kuen. 2001. “Yangshao.” In East Asia and Oceania (Encyclopedia of Prehistory, Volume 3), edited by Peter Peregrine and Melvin Ember. New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers. 333-339. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/BUI9EC3T

[2]: (Tanner 2009, 20) Tanner, Harold Miles. 2009. China: A History. Indianapolis, Indiana: Hackett Publishing Company. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/46QCS68G

[3]: (Lee 2001, 333) Lee, Yun Kuen. 2001. “Yangshao.” In East Asia and Oceania (Encyclopedia of Prehistory, Volume 3), edited by Peter Peregrine and Melvin Ember. New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers. 333-339. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/BUI9EC3T

[4]: (Lee 2001, 336) Lee, Yun Kuen. 2001. “Yangshao.” In East Asia and Oceania (Encyclopedia of Prehistory, Volume 3), edited by Peter Peregrine and Melvin Ember. New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers. 333-339. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/BUI9EC3T

[5]: (Lee 2001, 334) Lee, Yun Kuen. 2001. “Yangshao.” In East Asia and Oceania (Encyclopedia of Prehistory, Volume 3), edited by Peter Peregrine and Melvin Ember. New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers. 333-339. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/BUI9EC3T

[6]: (Von Falkenhausen 1994, 55) Von Falkenhausen. Lothar. 1994. “Rediscovering the Past.” In China: Ancient Culture, Modern Land, edited by Robert E. Murowchick. Norman Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/KKWA9MT3

General Variables

Identity and Location

1 Utm Zone

1 Original Name

1 Capital

2 Alternative Name

Temporal Bounds

1 Duration

Political and Cultural Relations

1 Supracultural Entity

1 Succeeding Entity

1 Scale of Supracultural Interaction

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 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 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

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

1 Weight Measurement System

1 Volume Measurement System

1 Time 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

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	Yangshao (cn_yangshao) was in:
(5000 BCE 3001 BCE)	Middle Yellow River Valley

Home NGA: Middle Yellow River Valley

General Variables

Identity and Location Yangshao (cn_yangshao)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Utm Zone	50 S	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Original Name	Yangshao	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Capital	absent	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Alternative Name	Miaodigou	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Alternative Name	Xiyincun	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Temporal Bounds Yangshao (cn_yangshao)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More
Duration	[5000 BCE ➜ 3000 BCE]
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Political and Cultural Relations Yangshao (cn_yangshao)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Supracultural Entity	China	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Succeeding Entity	Longshan	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Scale of Supracultural Interaction	1,000,000 km²	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Preceding Entity 7000 BCE 5001 BCE	Peiligang (cn_peiligang) [None]
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Succeeding Entity 3000 BCE 1900 BCE	Longshan (cn_longshan) [continuity]
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Degree of Centralization	quasi-polity	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Language Yangshao (cn_yangshao)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Linguistic Family	NO_VALUE_ON_WIKI	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Religion Yangshao (cn_yangshao)

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

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale Yangshao (cn_yangshao)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Population of the Largest Settlement	[200 to 500] people	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Polity Population	[10,000 to 30,000] people	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Hierarchical Complexity Yangshao (cn_yangshao)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Settlement Hierarchy	[2 to 3]	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Religious Level	- Undecided	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Administrative Level	[1 to 2]	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Professions Yangshao (cn_yangshao)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Soldier	Absent Inferred	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Professional Priesthood	Unknown Suspected	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Professional Military Officer	Absent Inferred	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Bureaucracy Characteristics Yangshao (cn_yangshao)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Government Building	Unknown Suspected	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Merit Promotion	Unknown Suspected	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Full Time Bureaucrat	Unknown Suspected	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Examination System	Unknown Suspected	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Law Yangshao (cn_yangshao)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Lawyer	Unknown Suspected	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Judge	Unknown Suspected	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Formal Legal Code	Unknown Suspected	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Court	Unknown Suspected	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Specialized Buildings: polity owned Yangshao (cn_yangshao)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Market	Unknown Suspected	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Irrigation System	Unknown Suspected	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Food Storage Site	Present Inferred	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Drinking Water Supply System	Absent Inferred	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Transport Infrastructure Yangshao (cn_yangshao)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Road	Absent Inferred	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Port	Absent Inferred	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Canal	Unknown Suspected	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Bridge	Unknown Suspected	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Special-purpose Sites Yangshao (cn_yangshao)

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

Information / Writing System Yangshao (cn_yangshao)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Written Record	Absent	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Script	Absent	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Phonetic Alphabetic Writing	Absent	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Nonwritten Record	Present Inferred	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Mnemonic Device	Uncoded Undecided	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Information / Kinds of Written Documents Yangshao (cn_yangshao)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Scientific Literature	Absent	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Sacred Text	Absent	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Religious Literature	Absent	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Practical Literature	Absent	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Philosophy	Absent	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Lists Tables and Classification	Absent	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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History	Absent	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Fiction	Absent	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Calendar	Absent	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Information / Money Yangshao (cn_yangshao)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Token	Absent Inferred	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Precious Metal	Unknown Suspected	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Paper Currency	Absent	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Indigenous Coin	Absent Inferred	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Foreign Coin	Absent Inferred	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Article	Unknown Suspected	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Information / Postal System Yangshao (cn_yangshao)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Postal Station	Absent Inferred	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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General Postal Service	Absent Inferred	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Courier	Absent Inferred	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Information / Measurement System Yangshao (cn_yangshao)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Weight Measurement System	Uncoded Undecided	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Volume Measurement System	Uncoded Undecided	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Time Measurement System	Uncoded Undecided	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Length Measurement System	Uncoded Undecided	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Geometrical Measurement System	Uncoded Undecided	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Area Measurement System	Uncoded Undecided	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications Yangshao (cn_yangshao)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wooden Palisade	Present Inferred	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Stone Walls Non Mortared	Present Inferred	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Stone Walls Mortared	Unknown Suspected	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Settlements in a Defensive Position	Present	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Modern Fortification	Absent	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Moat	Present	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Fortified Camp	Absent Inferred	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Earth Rampart	Present	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Ditch	Present	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Complex Fortification	Absent	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Long Wall	absent	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Military use of Metals Yangshao (cn_yangshao)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Steel	Absent	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Iron	Absent	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Copper	Absent	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Bronze	Absent	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Projectiles Yangshao (cn_yangshao)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Tension Siege Engine	Absent	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Sling Siege Engine	Absent	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Sling	Unknown Suspected	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Self Bow	Present Inferred	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Javelin	Unknown Suspected	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Handheld Firearm	Absent	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Gunpowder Siege Artillery	Absent	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Crossbow	Absent	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Composite Bow	Absent	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Atlatl	Absent Inferred	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Handheld weapons Yangshao (cn_yangshao)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
War Club	Unknown Suspected	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Sword	Absent Inferred	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Spear	Unknown Suspected	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Polearm	Absent Inferred	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Dagger	Absent Inferred	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Battle Axe	Present	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Animals used in warfare Yangshao (cn_yangshao)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Horse	Absent	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Elephant	Absent	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Donkey	Unknown Suspected	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Dog	Absent Inferred	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Camel	Absent	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Armor Yangshao (cn_yangshao)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wood Bark Etc	Unknown Suspected	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Shield	Absent Inferred	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Scaled Armor	Absent	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Plate Armor	Absent	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Limb Protection	Absent	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Leather Cloth	Unknown Suspected	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Laminar Armor	Absent	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Helmet	Absent Inferred	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Chainmail	Absent	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Breastplate	Absent	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Naval technology Yangshao (cn_yangshao)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Military Vessel	Absent	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Small Vessels Canoes Etc	Absent	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service	Absent	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Economy Variables (Luxury Goods)

Religion Variables

Moralizing Supernatural Punishment and Reward Yangshao (cn_yangshao)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Moralizing Enforcement is Broad	Absent Inferred	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Moralizing Supernatural Concern is Primary	Absent Inferred	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Agentic	Absent Inferred	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement in This Life	Absent Inferred	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Moralizing Supernatural Punishment And Reward	Absent Inferred	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Commoners	Absent Inferred	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Targeted	Absent Inferred	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement in Afterlife	Absent Inferred	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Elites	Absent Inferred	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement of Rulers	Absent Inferred	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Certain	Absent Inferred	5000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Human Sacrifice Yangshao (cn_yangshao)

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