Home Region: West Africa (Africa)

Jenne-jeno I

250 BCE 49 CE

D G SC WF R

EQ 2020 ml_jenne_jeno_1 / MlJeJe1

Preceding Entity: Add one more here.

[suspected unknown; suspected unknown] [unknown] Update here

Succeeding Entity: Add one more here.

50 CE 399 CE Jenne-jeno II (ml_jenne_jeno_2) [continuity]

General Description

The archaeological site of Jenne-jeno (or Djenné-djenno) is a mound located in the Niger Inland Delta, a region of West Africa just south of the Sahara and part of modern-day Mali, characterized by lakes and floodplains. It was continuously inhabited between 250 BCE and 1400 CE. ’Jenne-jeno I’ refers to the period of earliest occupation, from 250 BCE to 50 CE. During this time, the site’s inhabitants fished, gathered wild plants, hunted, and cultivated rice (as well as millet and sorghum). They also made and used pottery, and smelted, smithed and used iron, though they probably imported the raw material for the latter from far afield. ^[1]
Population and political organization
There does not seem to be enough data to reconstruct Jenne-jeno’s political or social organization at this time, but even for later periods, there is a lack of archaeological evidence for ’coercive’ centralized control or the development of hierarchical social structures. ^[2] It is also unclear how many people were living at Jenne-jeno or at the surrounding sites. However, one of the site’s excavators, Roderick McIntosh, does say that the founding population was probably not inconsiderable, and expanded rapidly. ^[1]

[1]: (McIntosh 2006, 174-75) Roderick McIntosh. 2006. Ancient Middle Niger. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

[2]: (Reader 1998, 225, 228) John Reader. 1998. Africa: A Biography of the Continent. London: Penguin Books.

General Variables

Identity and Location

1 Utm Zone

1 Original Name

1 Capital

6 Alternative Name

Temporal Bounds

1 Peak Years

1 Duration

Political and Cultural Relations

1 Suprapolity Relations

1 Supracultural Entity

1 Succeeding Entity

1 Scale of Supracultural Interaction

1 Relationship to preceding Entity

2 Polity Succession

1 Degree of Centralization

Language

1 Linguistic Family

1 Language

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 Military Level

1 Administrative Level

Professions

1 Professional Soldier

1 Professional Priesthood

1 Professional Military Officer

1 Occupational Complexity

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

1 Communal Building

1 Special Purpose House

Transport Infrastructure

1 Road

1 Port

1 Canal

1 Bridge

Special-purpose Sites

1 Mines or Quarry

1 Special Purpose Site

1 Enclosure

1 Ceremonial Site

1 Burial Site

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

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

2 Iron

1 Copper

1 Bronze

Projectiles

1 Tension Siege Engine

1 Sling Siege Engine

1 Sling

2 Self Bow

2 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	Jenne-jeno I (ml_jenne_jeno_1) was in:
(250 BCE 49 CE)	Niger Inland Delta

Home NGA: Niger Inland Delta

General Variables

Identity and Location Jenne-jeno I (ml_jenne_jeno_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Utm Zone	30 P	250 BCE 49 CE
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Original Name	Jenne-jeno I	250 BCE 49 CE
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Capital	Unknown Suspected	250 BCE 49 CE
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Alternative Name	Old Jenne	250 BCE 49 CE
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Alternative Name	Jenne-jeno Phase I	250 BCE 49 CE
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Alternative Name	Djoboro	250 BCE 49 CE
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Alternative Name	Do-Dojobor	250 BCE 49 CE
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Alternative Name	Zoboro	250 BCE 49 CE
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Alternative Name	Djenne-jeno	250 BCE 49 CE
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Temporal Bounds Jenne-jeno I (ml_jenne_jeno_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More
Peak Years	49 CE
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Duration	[250 BCE ➜ 49 CE]
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Political and Cultural Relations Jenne-jeno I (ml_jenne_jeno_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Suprapolity Relations	unknown [---] Suspected	250 BCE 49 CE
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Supracultural Entity	Sahel Tell Culture	250 BCE 49 CE
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Succeeding Entity	Jenne-jeno II	250 BCE 49 CE
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Scale of Supracultural Interaction	[1,500,000 to 2,500,000] km²	250 BCE 49 CE
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Relationship to Preceding Entity	suspected unknown	250 BCE 49 CE
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Preceding Entity	suspected unknown; suspected unknown [unknown] Update here Suspected
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Succeeding Entity 50 CE 399 CE	Jenne-jeno II (ml_jenne_jeno_2) [continuity]
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Degree of Centralization	quasi-polity	250 BCE 49 CE
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Language Jenne-jeno I (ml_jenne_jeno_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Linguistic Family	suspected unknown	250 BCE 49 CE
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Language	unknown Suspected	250 BCE 49 CE
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Religion Jenne-jeno I (ml_jenne_jeno_1)

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

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale Jenne-jeno I (ml_jenne_jeno_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Population of the Largest Settlement	[100 to 150] people	250 BCE 49 CE
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Polity Territory	[5 to 10] km²	250 BCE 49 CE
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Polity Population	[200 to 300] people	250 BCE 49 CE
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Hierarchical Complexity Jenne-jeno I (ml_jenne_jeno_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Settlement Hierarchy	1	250 BCE 49 CE
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Religious Level	- Undecided	250 BCE 49 CE
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Military Level	- Undecided	250 BCE 49 CE
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Administrative Level	1	250 BCE 49 CE
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Professions Jenne-jeno I (ml_jenne_jeno_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Soldier	Unknown Suspected	250 BCE 49 CE
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Professional Priesthood	Unknown Suspected	250 BCE 49 CE
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Professional Military Officer	Absent Inferred	250 BCE 49 CE
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Occupational Complexity	Uncoded Undecided	250 BCE 49 CE
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Bureaucracy Characteristics Jenne-jeno I (ml_jenne_jeno_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Government Building	Unknown Suspected	250 BCE 49 CE
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Merit Promotion	Unknown Suspected	250 BCE 49 CE
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Full Time Bureaucrat	Unknown Suspected	250 BCE 49 CE
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Examination System	Unknown Suspected	250 BCE 49 CE
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Law Jenne-jeno I (ml_jenne_jeno_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Lawyer	Unknown Suspected	250 BCE 49 CE
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Judge	Unknown Suspected	250 BCE 49 CE
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Formal Legal Code	Unknown Suspected	250 BCE 49 CE
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Court	Unknown Suspected	250 BCE 49 CE
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Specialized Buildings: polity owned Jenne-jeno I (ml_jenne_jeno_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Market	Unknown Suspected	250 BCE 49 CE
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Irrigation System	Absent Inferred	250 BCE 49 CE
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Food Storage Site	Unknown Suspected	250 BCE 49 CE
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Drinking Water Supply System	Unknown Suspected	250 BCE 49 CE
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Communal Building	Uncoded Undecided	250 BCE 49 CE
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Special Purpose House	Uncoded Undecided	250 BCE 49 CE
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Transport Infrastructure Jenne-jeno I (ml_jenne_jeno_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Road	Unknown Suspected	250 BCE 49 CE
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Port	Unknown Suspected	250 BCE 49 CE
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Canal	Unknown Suspected	250 BCE 49 CE
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Bridge	Unknown Suspected	250 BCE 49 CE
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Special-purpose Sites Jenne-jeno I (ml_jenne_jeno_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Mines or Quarry	Present Inferred	250 BCE 49 CE
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Special Purpose Site	Uncoded Undecided	250 BCE 49 CE
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Enclosure	Uncoded Undecided	250 BCE 49 CE
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Ceremonial Site	Uncoded Undecided	250 BCE 49 CE
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Burial Site	Uncoded Undecided	250 BCE 49 CE
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Information / Writing System Jenne-jeno I (ml_jenne_jeno_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Written Record	Absent	250 BCE 49 CE
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Script	Absent	250 BCE 49 CE
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Phonetic Alphabetic Writing	Absent	250 BCE 49 CE
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Nonwritten Record	Present	250 BCE 49 CE
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Non Phonetic Writing	Absent	250 BCE 49 CE
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Mnemonic Device	Unknown Suspected	250 BCE 49 CE
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Information / Kinds of Written Documents Jenne-jeno I (ml_jenne_jeno_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Scientific Literature	Absent	250 BCE 49 CE
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Sacred Text	Absent	250 BCE 49 CE
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Religious Literature	Absent	250 BCE 49 CE
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Practical Literature	Absent	250 BCE 49 CE
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Philosophy	Absent	250 BCE 49 CE
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Lists Tables and Classification	Absent	250 BCE 49 CE
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History	Absent	250 BCE 49 CE
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Fiction	Absent Inferred	250 BCE 49 CE
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Calendar	Absent	250 BCE 49 CE
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Information / Money Jenne-jeno I (ml_jenne_jeno_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Token	Unknown Suspected	250 BCE 49 CE
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Precious Metal	Unknown Suspected	250 BCE 49 CE
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Paper Currency	Unknown Suspected	250 BCE 49 CE
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Indigenous Coin	Unknown Suspected	250 BCE 49 CE
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Foreign Coin	Unknown Suspected	250 BCE 49 CE
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Article	Unknown Suspected	250 BCE 49 CE
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Information / Postal System Jenne-jeno I (ml_jenne_jeno_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Postal Station	Unknown Suspected	250 BCE 49 CE
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General Postal Service	Unknown Suspected	250 BCE 49 CE
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Courier	Unknown Suspected	250 BCE 49 CE
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Information / Measurement System Jenne-jeno I (ml_jenne_jeno_1)

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

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications Jenne-jeno I (ml_jenne_jeno_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wooden Palisade	Absent Inferred	250 BCE 49 CE
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Stone Walls Non Mortared	Absent	250 BCE 49 CE
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Stone Walls Mortared	Absent	250 BCE 49 CE
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Settlements in a Defensive Position	Absent Inferred	250 BCE 49 CE
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Modern Fortification	Absent	250 BCE 49 CE
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Moat	Absent Inferred	250 BCE 49 CE
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Fortified Camp	Absent Inferred	250 BCE 49 CE
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Earth Rampart	Absent Inferred	250 BCE 49 CE
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Ditch	Absent Inferred	250 BCE 49 CE
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Complex Fortification	Absent	250 BCE 49 CE
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Long Wall	0 km Inferred	250 BCE 49 CE
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Military use of Metals Jenne-jeno I (ml_jenne_jeno_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Steel	Absent	250 BCE 49 CE
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Iron	Present Uncertain	250 BCE 49 CE
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Iron	Absent Uncertain	250 BCE 49 CE
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Copper	Unknown Suspected	250 BCE 49 CE
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Bronze	Absent	250 BCE 49 CE
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Projectiles Jenne-jeno I (ml_jenne_jeno_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Tension Siege Engine	Absent	250 BCE 49 CE
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Sling Siege Engine	Absent	250 BCE 49 CE
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Sling	Absent Inferred	250 BCE 49 CE
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Self Bow	Present Uncertain	250 BCE 49 CE
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Self Bow	Absent Uncertain	250 BCE 49 CE
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Javelin	Present Uncertain	250 BCE 49 CE
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Javelin	Absent Uncertain	250 BCE 49 CE
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Handheld Firearm	Absent	250 BCE 49 CE
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Gunpowder Siege Artillery	Absent	250 BCE 49 CE
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Crossbow	Absent	250 BCE 49 CE
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Composite Bow	Absent	250 BCE 49 CE
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Atlatl	Absent Inferred	250 BCE 49 CE
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Handheld weapons Jenne-jeno I (ml_jenne_jeno_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
War Club	Present Inferred	250 BCE 49 CE
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Sword	Absent	250 BCE 49 CE
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Spear	Absent	250 BCE 49 CE
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Polearm	Absent	250 BCE 49 CE
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Dagger	Absent	250 BCE 49 CE
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Battle Axe	Absent	250 BCE 49 CE
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Animals used in warfare Jenne-jeno I (ml_jenne_jeno_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Horse	Absent	250 BCE 49 CE
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Elephant	Absent	250 BCE 49 CE
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Donkey	Absent	250 BCE 49 CE
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Dog	Absent	250 BCE 49 CE
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Camel	Absent	250 BCE 49 CE
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Armor Jenne-jeno I (ml_jenne_jeno_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wood Bark Etc	Absent	250 BCE 49 CE
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Shield	Absent	250 BCE 49 CE
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Scaled Armor	Absent	250 BCE 49 CE
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Plate Armor	Absent	250 BCE 49 CE
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Limb Protection	Absent	250 BCE 49 CE
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Leather Cloth	Absent	250 BCE 49 CE
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Laminar Armor	Absent	250 BCE 49 CE
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Helmet	Absent	250 BCE 49 CE
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Chainmail	Absent	250 BCE 49 CE
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Breastplate	Absent	250 BCE 49 CE
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Naval technology Jenne-jeno I (ml_jenne_jeno_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Military Vessel	Absent	250 BCE 49 CE
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Small Vessels Canoes Etc	Unknown Suspected	250 BCE 49 CE
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Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service	Absent	250 BCE 49 CE
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Economy Variables (Luxury Goods)

Religion Variables

Moralizing Supernatural Punishment and Reward Jenne-jeno I (ml_jenne_jeno_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Moralizing Enforcement is Broad	Unknown	250 BCE 49 CE
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Moralizing Supernatural Concern is Primary	Unknown	250 BCE 49 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Agentic	Unknown	250 BCE 49 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement in This Life	Unknown	250 BCE 49 CE
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Moralizing Supernatural Punishment And Reward	Unknown	250 BCE 49 CE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Commoners	Unknown	250 BCE 49 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Targeted	Unknown	250 BCE 49 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement in Afterlife	Unknown	250 BCE 49 CE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Elites	Unknown	250 BCE 49 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement of Rulers	Unknown	250 BCE 49 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Certain	Unknown	250 BCE 49 CE
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Human Sacrifice Jenne-jeno I (ml_jenne_jeno_1)

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