Home Region: North China (East Asia)

Erligang

1650 BCE 1250 BCE

D G SC WF R

EQ 2020 cn_erligang / CnErlig

Preceding Entity: Add one more here.

1850 BCE 1600 BCE Erlitou (cn_erlitou) [continuity]

Succeeding Entity:

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General Description

Erligang culture developed during the final phase of Erlitou in the central Yellow River valley. In Sima Qian’s Basic Annals of the Yin, the last Xia king is overthrown and executed by the first king of Shang Cheng Tang. ^[1] Many scholars place Erligang culture within the Shang period to fit with the traditional chronology of Xia-Shang-Zhou. ^[2] The early Shang kings were have believed to have moved their capital several times because of natural disasters. ^[3] The material culture is referred to as both Erligang and early Shang.
Zhengzhou was the center of Erligang culture, and Yanshi was the secondary center. ^[4] The two cities were large fortified settlements with palaces and crafts workshops. ^[5] The bronze and ceramic workshops produced goods that varied from the ones produced in Shang and Erlitou settlements. ^[6] Erligang expanded its cultural influence with the development of regional outputs. Evidence of Erligang material culture is present in Shaanxi, Shandong, and the middle Yangzi region. ^[7]
Population and political organization
Erligang culture had at least three tiers of political hierarchy. ^[4] Walled palace cities were occupied by royalty, priests, and specialized craftsmen, while the general population and other craftsmen lived in surrounding villages. ^[8] The political and cultural core of Erligang had an estimated population of 500,000 to 1 million people. The wider Erligang region had a population of 1.5 million to 2 million people. ^[9]

[1]: (Major and Cook 2017, 77) 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]: (Major and Cook 2017, 78) 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

[3]: (San, Koon Tan 2014, 17) San, Koon Tan. 2014. Dynastic China: An Elementary History. Malaysia: The Other Press. https://www.zotero.org/groups/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/TB95WB7F)

[4]: (Liu 2014, 278) Liu, Li and Xingchan Chen. The Archaeology of China: From the Late Paleolithic to the Early Bronze Age. Cambridge: CUP. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/KPQQWPK6

[5]: (Ross and Steadman 2017, 219) 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

[6]: (Ross and Steadman 2017, 220) 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

[7]: (Liu 2014, 285) Liu, Li and Xingchan Chen. The Archaeology of China: From the Late Paleolithic to the Early Bronze Age. Cambridge: CUP. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/KPQQWPK6

[8]: (Liu 2014, 295) Liu, Li and Xingchan Chen. The Archaeology of China: From the Late Paleolithic to the Early Bronze Age. Cambridge: CUP. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/KPQQWPK6

[9]: (Wang 2014, 179) Wang, Haicheng. 2014. Writing and the Ancient State: Early China in Comparative Perspective. Cambridge University Press. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/KVA5IWCB

General Variables

Identity and Location

1 Utm Zone

1 Original Name

2 Capital

2 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

1 Polity Succession

2 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

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

2 Specialized Government Building

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

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 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 Geometrical Measurement System

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications

1 Wooden Palisade

2 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	Erligang (cn_erligang) was in:
(1650 BCE 1251 BCE)	Middle Yellow River Valley

Home NGA: Middle Yellow River Valley

General Variables

Identity and Location Erligang (cn_erligang)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Utm Zone	50 S	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Original Name	Erligang	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Capital	Zhengzhou	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Capital	Huanbei	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Alternative Name	Early Shang	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Alternative Name	Erligang Empire	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Temporal Bounds Erligang (cn_erligang)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More
Peak Years	[1500 BCE ➜ 1450 BCE]
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Duration	[1650 BCE ➜ 1250 BCE]
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Political and Cultural Relations Erligang (cn_erligang)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Suprapolity Relations	alliance with [---]	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Supracultural Entity	uncoded Undecided	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Succeeding Entity	Late Shang	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Relationship to Preceding Entity	continuity	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Preceding Entity 1850 BCE 1600 BCE	Erlitou (cn_erlitou) [continuity]
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Degree of Centralization	quasi-polity	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Degree of Centralization	confederated state	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Language Erligang (cn_erligang)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Linguistic Family	Sino-Tibetan	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Language	archaic Chinese	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Religion Erligang (cn_erligang)

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

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale Erligang (cn_erligang)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Population of the Largest Settlement	[78,000 to 104,000] people	1650 BCE 1601 BCE
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Population of the Largest Settlement	[15,000 to 26,000] people	1600 BCE 1251 BCE
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Polity Territory	[350,000 to 400,000] km²	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Polity Population	[2,000,000 to 3,000,000] people	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Hierarchical Complexity Erligang (cn_erligang)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Settlement Hierarchy	[3 to 4]	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Religious Level	[2 to 3]	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Military Level	3	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Administrative Level	[3 to 4]	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Professions Erligang (cn_erligang)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Soldier	Present Inferred	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Professional Priesthood	Present Inferred	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Professional Military Officer	Unknown Suspected	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Bureaucracy Characteristics Erligang (cn_erligang)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Government Building	Present Uncertain	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Specialized Government Building	Absent Uncertain	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Full Time Bureaucrat	Uncoded Undecided	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Examination System	Absent Inferred	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Law Erligang (cn_erligang)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Lawyer	Absent Inferred	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Judge	Absent Inferred	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Formal Legal Code	Absent	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Court	Absent Inferred	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Specialized Buildings: polity owned Erligang (cn_erligang)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Market	Unknown Suspected	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Irrigation System	Present Inferred	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Food Storage Site	Present Inferred	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Transport Infrastructure Erligang (cn_erligang)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Road	Present Inferred	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Special-purpose Sites Erligang (cn_erligang)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Mines or Quarry	Present	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Information / Writing System Erligang (cn_erligang)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Written Record	Absent Inferred	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Script	Present Inferred	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Phonetic Alphabetic Writing	Unknown Suspected	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Nonwritten Record	Uncoded Undecided	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Non Phonetic Writing	Unknown Suspected	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Mnemonic Device	Uncoded Undecided	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Information / Kinds of Written Documents Erligang (cn_erligang)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Scientific Literature	Unknown Suspected	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Sacred Text	Unknown Suspected	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Religious Literature	Present Inferred	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Practical Literature	Unknown Suspected	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Philosophy	Unknown Suspected	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Lists Tables and Classification	Present Inferred	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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History	Unknown Suspected	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Fiction	Unknown Suspected	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Calendar	Present Inferred	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Information / Money Erligang (cn_erligang)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Token	Present Inferred	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Precious Metal	Unknown Suspected	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Paper Currency	Absent	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Indigenous Coin	Absent	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Foreign Coin	Absent	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Article	Present Inferred	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Information / Postal System Erligang (cn_erligang)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Postal Station	Absent Inferred	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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General Postal Service	Absent Inferred	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Courier	Present Inferred	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Information / Measurement System Erligang (cn_erligang)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Geometrical Measurement System	Uncoded Undecided	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications Erligang (cn_erligang)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wooden Palisade	Unknown Suspected	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Stone Walls Non Mortared	Present Inferred Disputed	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Stone Walls Non Mortared	Absent Disputed	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Stone Walls Mortared	Absent	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Settlements in a Defensive Position	Present	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Modern Fortification	Absent	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Moat	Present	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Fortified Camp	Unknown Suspected	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Earth Rampart	Present	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Ditch	Present Inferred	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Complex Fortification	Present	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Long Wall	absent	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Military use of Metals Erligang (cn_erligang)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Steel	Absent	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Iron	Absent	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Copper	Present	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Bronze	Present	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Projectiles Erligang (cn_erligang)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Tension Siege Engine	Absent	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Sling Siege Engine	Absent	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Sling	Present Inferred	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Self Bow	Present	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Javelin	Unknown Suspected	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Handheld Firearm	Absent	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Gunpowder Siege Artillery	Absent	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Crossbow	Absent	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Composite Bow	Absent	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Atlatl	Absent Inferred	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Handheld weapons Erligang (cn_erligang)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
War Club	Present Inferred	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Sword	Present	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Spear	Unknown Suspected	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Polearm	Present	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Dagger	Present Inferred	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Battle Axe	Present	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Animals used in warfare Erligang (cn_erligang)

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	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Donkey	Present	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Dog	Absent	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Camel	Absent	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Armor Erligang (cn_erligang)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wood Bark Etc	Present Inferred	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Shield	Present Inferred	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Scaled Armor	Absent	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Plate Armor	Absent	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Limb Protection	Absent Inferred	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Leather Cloth	Present Inferred	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Laminar Armor	Absent	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Helmet	Present	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Chainmail	Absent	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Breastplate	Absent Inferred	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Naval technology Erligang (cn_erligang)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Military Vessel	Absent	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Small Vessels Canoes Etc	Absent	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service	Absent	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Economy Variables (Luxury Goods)

Religion Variables

Moralizing Supernatural Punishment and Reward Erligang (cn_erligang)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Moralizing Enforcement is Broad	Absent Inferred	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Moralizing Supernatural Concern is Primary	Absent Inferred	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Agentic	Absent Inferred	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement in This Life	Absent Inferred	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Moralizing Supernatural Punishment And Reward	Absent Inferred	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Commoners	Absent Inferred	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Targeted	Absent Inferred	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement in Afterlife	Absent Inferred	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Elites	Absent Inferred	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement of Rulers	Absent Inferred	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Certain	Absent Inferred	1650 BCE 1250 BCE
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Human Sacrifice Erligang (cn_erligang)

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