Home Region: North China (East Asia)

Erlitou

1850 BCE 1600 BCE

D G SC WF R

EQ 2020 cn_erlitou / CnErlit

Preceding Entity: Add one more here.

3000 BCE 1900 BCE Longshan (cn_longshan) [continuity]

Succeeding Entity: Add one more here.

1650 BCE 1250 BCE Erligang (cn_erligang) [continuity]

General Description

Erlitou is a large Bronze Age settlement in the central Yellow River valley southeast of modern Luoyang. ^[1] The settlement city was long considered to be the capital of the Xia dynasty, however, some scholars now believe that Erlitou was a separate culture. ^[2] Erlitou culture was descended from late Longshan culture, especially the settlements at Taosi and Dawenkou. ^[1] Erlitou is divided into four phases by archaeologists.
Erlitou culture is characterized by a state-sponsored bronze industry and a highly specialized casting process for bronze vessels. ^[3] The city featured large buildings used for rituals, and palaces built on pounded earth platforms. Workshops that were most likely state-sponsored produced crafts and goods made of jade, ceramic, and bronze. ^[1] The economy was based on agriculture- the people of Erlitou farmed wheat, millet, rice, and vegetables and raised domestic animals. ^[4] The state controlled areas as far as 500 km from the center. ^[3]
Population and political organization
An increased number of bronze ritual vessels have been found in Phase III elite burials which suggests that society may have been controlled by elites. ^[5]
In its first phase, at the end of the 3rd millennium BCE, Erlitou was a town in the Yi river valley. The settlement developed into a large city with an estimated 30,000 residents in 1800 BCE in its second and third phases. In its final phase in 1600 BCE, Erlitou declined in population as the nearby city of Erligang developed. ^[1]

[1]: (Major and Cook 2017, 61) Major, John S. and Constance Cook. 2017. Ancient China: A History. New York: Routledge. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/9DB56EP2

[2]: (Ross and Steadman 2017, 216) Ross, Jennifer C. and Sharon R. Steadman. 2017. Ancient Complex Societies. New York: Routledge. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/S7GPCJ9A

[3]: (Lavi-Shelach 2015, 188) Lavi-Shelach, Gideon. 2015. The Archaeology of Early China: From Prehistory to the Han Dynasty. Cambridge: CUP. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/6J7SN4JD

[4]: (Major and Cook 2017, 63) Major, John S. and Constance Cook. 2017. Ancient China: A History. New York: Routledge. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/9DB56EP2

[5]: (Ross and Steadman 2017, 218) Ross, Jennifer C. and Sharon R. Steadman. 2017. Ancient Complex Societies. New York: Routledge. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/S7GPCJ9A

General Variables

Identity and Location

1 Utm Zone

1 Original Name

1 Capital

1 Alternative Name

Temporal Bounds

1 Peak Years

1 Duration

Political and Cultural Relations

1 Suprapolity Relations

1 Supracultural Entity

1 Succeeding Entity

1 Relationship to preceding Entity

2 Polity Succession

1 Degree of Centralization

Language

1 Linguistic Family

1 Language

Religion

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale

2 Population of the Largest Settlement

1 Polity Territory

1 Polity Population

1 Largest Communication Distance

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

1 Source Of Support

Bureaucracy Characteristics

2 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

Transport Infrastructure

1 Road

Special-purpose Sites

1 Mines or Quarry

Information / Writing System

2 Written Record

1 Script

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

Information / Postal System

1 Postal Station

1 General Postal Service

1 Courier

Information / Measurement System

1 Geometrical 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

2 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	Erlitou (cn_erlitou) was in:
(1850 BCE 1651 BCE)	Middle Yellow River Valley

Home NGA: Middle Yellow River Valley

General Variables

Identity and Location Erlitou (cn_erlitou)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Utm Zone	50 S	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Original Name	Erlitou	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Capital	Erlitou	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Alternative Name	Xia Dynasty	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Temporal Bounds Erlitou (cn_erlitou)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More
Peak Years	[1700 BCE ➜ 1530 BCE]
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Duration	[1850 BCE ➜ 1600 BCE]
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Political and Cultural Relations Erlitou (cn_erlitou)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Suprapolity Relations	unknown [---] Suspected	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Supracultural Entity	uncoded Undecided	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Succeeding Entity	Erligang	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Relationship to Preceding Entity	continuity	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Succeeding Entity 1650 BCE 1250 BCE	Erligang (cn_erligang) [continuity]
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Preceding Entity 3000 BCE 1900 BCE	Longshan (cn_longshan) [continuity]
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Degree of Centralization	quasi-polity	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Language Erlitou (cn_erlitou)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Linguistic Family	Sino-Tibetan	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Language	archaic Chinese	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Religion Erlitou (cn_erlitou)

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

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale Erlitou (cn_erlitou)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Population of the Largest Settlement	[3,500 to 5,800] people	1850 BCE 1800 BCE
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Population of the Largest Settlement	[18,000 to 30,000] people	1799 BCE 1651 BCE
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Polity Territory	[10,000 to 20,000] km²	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Polity Population	[54,000 to 82,000] people	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Largest Communication Distance	- Undecided	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Hierarchical Complexity Erlitou (cn_erlitou)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Settlement Hierarchy	4	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Religious Level	[1 to 3]	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Military Level	[3 to 4]	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Administrative Level	3	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Professions Erlitou (cn_erlitou)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Soldier	Present Inferred	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Professional Priesthood	Present Inferred	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Professional Military Officer	Unknown Suspected	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Source Of Support	uncoded Undecided	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Bureaucracy Characteristics Erlitou (cn_erlitou)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Government Building	Present Disputed	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Specialized Government Building	Absent Disputed	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Merit Promotion	Uncoded Undecided	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Full Time Bureaucrat	Absent Inferred	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Examination System	Absent Inferred	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Law Erlitou (cn_erlitou)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Lawyer	Absent Inferred	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Judge	Absent Inferred	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Formal Legal Code	Uncoded Undecided	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Court	Absent Inferred	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Specialized Buildings: polity owned Erlitou (cn_erlitou)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Market	Unknown Suspected	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Irrigation System	Unknown Suspected	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Food Storage Site	Unknown Suspected	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Transport Infrastructure Erlitou (cn_erlitou)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Road	Present	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Special-purpose Sites Erlitou (cn_erlitou)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Mines or Quarry	Present Inferred	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Information / Writing System Erlitou (cn_erlitou)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Written Record	Present Inferred Disputed	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Written Record	Absent Inferred Disputed	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Script	Present Inferred	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Nonwritten Record	Present Inferred	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Mnemonic Device	Present Inferred	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Information / Kinds of Written Documents Erlitou (cn_erlitou)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Scientific Literature	Unknown Suspected	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Sacred Text	Unknown Suspected	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Religious Literature	Unknown Suspected	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Practical Literature	Unknown Suspected	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Philosophy	Unknown Suspected	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Lists Tables and Classification	Present Inferred	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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History	Unknown Suspected	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Fiction	Unknown Suspected	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Calendar	Present Inferred	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Information / Money Erlitou (cn_erlitou)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Token	Present	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Precious Metal	Uncoded Undecided	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Paper Currency	Absent	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Indigenous Coin	Absent	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Foreign Coin	Absent	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Information / Postal System Erlitou (cn_erlitou)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Postal Station	Absent Inferred	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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General Postal Service	Absent Inferred	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Courier	Present Inferred	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Information / Measurement System Erlitou (cn_erlitou)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Geometrical Measurement System	Uncoded Undecided	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications Erlitou (cn_erlitou)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wooden Palisade	Unknown Suspected	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Stone Walls Non Mortared	Absent	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Stone Walls Mortared	Absent	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Settlements in a Defensive Position	Present	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Modern Fortification	Absent	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Moat	Present	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Fortified Camp	Unknown Suspected	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Earth Rampart	Present	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Ditch	Present Inferred	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Complex Fortification	Absent Inferred	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Long Wall	absent	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Military use of Metals Erlitou (cn_erlitou)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Steel	Absent	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Iron	Absent	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Copper	Present	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Bronze	Present	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Projectiles Erlitou (cn_erlitou)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Tension Siege Engine	Absent	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Sling Siege Engine	Absent	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Sling	Present Inferred	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Self Bow	Present	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Javelin	Unknown Suspected	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Handheld Firearm	Absent	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Gunpowder Siege Artillery	Absent	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Crossbow	Absent	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Composite Bow	Absent	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Atlatl	Absent	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Handheld weapons Erlitou (cn_erlitou)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
War Club	Present Inferred	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Sword	Absent	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Spear	Unknown Suspected	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Polearm	Present	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Dagger	Present Inferred	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Battle Axe	Present	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Animals used in warfare Erlitou (cn_erlitou)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Horse	Absent Inferred	1650 BCE 1300 BCE
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Horse	Present	1300 BCE 1250 BCE
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Elephant	Absent	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Donkey	Present Inferred	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Dog	Absent	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Camel	Absent	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Armor Erlitou (cn_erlitou)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wood Bark Etc	Present Inferred	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Shield	Unknown Suspected	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Scaled Armor	Absent	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Plate Armor	Absent	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Limb Protection	Absent Inferred	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Leather Cloth	Present Inferred	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Laminar Armor	Absent	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Helmet	Absent Inferred	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Chainmail	Absent	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Breastplate	Absent Inferred	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Naval technology Erlitou (cn_erlitou)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Military Vessel	Absent	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Small Vessels Canoes Etc	Absent	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service	Absent	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Economy Variables (Luxury Goods)

Religion Variables

Moralizing Supernatural Punishment and Reward Erlitou (cn_erlitou)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Moralizing Enforcement is Broad	Absent Inferred	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Moralizing Supernatural Concern is Primary	Absent Inferred	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Agentic	Absent Inferred	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement in This Life	Absent Inferred	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Moralizing Supernatural Punishment And Reward	Absent Inferred	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Commoners	Absent Inferred	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Targeted	Absent Inferred	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement in Afterlife	Absent Inferred	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Elites	Absent Inferred	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement of Rulers	Absent Inferred	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Certain	Absent Inferred	1850 BCE 1600 BCE
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Human Sacrifice Erlitou (cn_erlitou)

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