Home Region: Mongolia (Central and Northern Eurasia)

Early Mongols

1000 CE 1206 CE

D G SC WF R CC

EQ 2020 mn_mongol_early / MnMongE

Preceding Entity: Add one more here.

[Khitan Empire] [None] Update here

Succeeding Entity: Add one more here.

1206 CE 1270 CE Mongol Empire (mn_mongol_emp) [elite replacement]

General Description

According to Chinese records from the Tang dynasty (618-906), one of the nomadic Shiwei tribe was known as the Mengwu. This might be the earliest known reference to the Mongols. few centuries later, another Chinese document, this time dating to 1084, describes the "Menggu" as a remote tribe that paid tribute to the Khitan; they lived on a mixture of hunting and pastoralism, they were believed to wear fish skins, and their technology was largely made out of wood and bone because of the Khitans’ (and, subsequently, the Jurchens’) ban on the exportation of iron. With time, more clans joined the Mongols, such as the Jajirad and the Qonggirad. In the twelfth century, under Jurchen rule, the Mongols became one of the leading steppe tribes, and indeed they rebelled against the Jurchen. At first, the Mongols managed to score a number of victories, and for some time the Jurchen had no choice but to appease them through gifts such as cattle, grains, and silks. However, the Jurchen eventually gained the upper hand, capturing Mongol slaves through regular military expeditions between the 1160s and the 1190s, and forcing the Mongol rulers to pay frequent tribute. Chinggis Khan stopped the tributes in 1210. ^[1]
Population and political organization
At this time, the Mongols were divided into clans, and each clan belonged to either the Niru’un or the Dürlükin moiety. The Niru’un clans ruled the Dürlükin ones, though, due to traditional rules of exogamy, the Niru’un had to marry among the Dürlükin and vice versa. ^[2]
The overall population of Mongolia was 600,000-1,000,000. ^[3] Between 80,000 and 120,000 seems like a reasonable estimate for just the Mongols, who inhabited the region alongside similarly sized peoples, such as the Naimans, Kereids, Tatars, and Merkids.

[1]: (Atwood 2004, 389-390)

[2]: (Atwood 2004, 390-391)

[3]: (Kradin 2002)

General Variables

Identity and Location

1 Original Name

1 Capital

4 Alternative Name

Temporal Bounds

1 Peak Years

1 Duration

Political and Cultural Relations

2 Suprapolity Relations

1 Succeeding Entity

2 Polity Succession

1 Degree of Centralization

Language

2 Linguistic Family

4 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

2 Professional Military Officer

Bureaucracy Characteristics

1 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

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

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

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

1 Crisis Consequence

Power Transitions Coding in Progress.

Instability Events

9 Instability Event

NGA Settlements:

Year Range	Early Mongols (mn_mongol_early) was in:
(1126 CE 1205 CE)	Orkhon Valley

Home NGA: Orkhon Valley

General Variables

Identity and Location Early Mongols (mn_mongol_early)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Original Name	Early Mongols Expert	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Capital	None (Absent Capital) Expert	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Alternative Name	Tatars Expert	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Alternative Name	Kereids Expert	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Alternative Name	Naimans Expert	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Alternative Name	Borgigins Expert	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Temporal Bounds Early Mongols (mn_mongol_early)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More
Peak Years	1206 CE Expert
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Duration	[1000 CE ➜ 1206 CE] Expert
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Political and Cultural Relations Early Mongols (mn_mongol_early)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Suprapolity Relations	none Expert	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Suprapolity Relations	alliance with [---] Expert	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Succeeding Entity	Mongol Empire Expert	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Preceding Entity	Khitan Empire [None] Update here Expert
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Succeeding Entity 1206 CE 1270 CE	Mongol Empire (mn_mongol_emp) [elite replacement]
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Degree of Centralization	quasi-polity Expert	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Language Early Mongols (mn_mongol_early)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Linguistic Family	Mongolic Expert	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Linguistic Family	Turkic Expert	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Language	Kereid Expert	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Language	Naimans Expert	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Language	Mongolian Expert	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Language	Tatar Expert	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Religion Early Mongols (mn_mongol_early)

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

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale Early Mongols (mn_mongol_early)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Population of the Largest Settlement	500 people	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Polity Territory	[70,000 to 90,000] km²	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Polity Population	[80,000 to 120,000] people	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Hierarchical Complexity Early Mongols (mn_mongol_early)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Settlement Hierarchy	1	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Religious Level	1	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Military Level	5	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Administrative Level	2	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Professions Early Mongols (mn_mongol_early)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Soldier	Present	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Professional Priesthood	Present	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Professional Military Officer	Present Inferred	1000 CE 1185 CE
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Professional Military Officer	Present	1185 CE 1206 CE
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Bureaucracy Characteristics Early Mongols (mn_mongol_early)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Government Building	Absent	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Full Time Bureaucrat	Absent	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Examination System	Unknown Suspected	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Law Early Mongols (mn_mongol_early)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Lawyer	Absent	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Judge	Absent	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Formal Legal Code	Present	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Court	Absent	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Specialized Buildings: polity owned Early Mongols (mn_mongol_early)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Market	Absent	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Irrigation System	Absent	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Food Storage Site	Absent	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Drinking Water Supply System	Absent	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Transport Infrastructure Early Mongols (mn_mongol_early)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Road	Absent	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Port	Absent	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Canal	Absent	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Bridge	Absent	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Special-purpose Sites Early Mongols (mn_mongol_early)

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

Information / Writing System Early Mongols (mn_mongol_early)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Written Record	Unknown Suspected	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Script	Present	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Phonetic Alphabetic Writing	Absent	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Nonwritten Record	Absent	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Mnemonic Device	Absent	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Information / Kinds of Written Documents Early Mongols (mn_mongol_early)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Scientific Literature	Present	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Sacred Text	Absent	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Religious Literature	Absent	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Practical Literature	Absent	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Philosophy	Absent	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Lists Tables and Classification	Absent	1000 CE 1206 CE
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History	Absent	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Fiction	Absent	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Calendar	Absent	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Information / Money Early Mongols (mn_mongol_early)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Token	Absent	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Precious Metal	Absent	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Paper Currency	Absent	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Indigenous Coin	Absent	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Foreign Coin	Absent	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Article	Present	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Information / Postal System Early Mongols (mn_mongol_early)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Postal Station	Absent	1000 CE 1206 CE
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General Postal Service	Absent	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Courier	Absent	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Information / Measurement System Early Mongols (mn_mongol_early)

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

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications Early Mongols (mn_mongol_early)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wooden Palisade	Absent	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Stone Walls Non Mortared	Absent	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Stone Walls Mortared	Absent	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Settlements in a Defensive Position	Unknown Suspected	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Modern Fortification	Absent	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Moat	Unknown Suspected	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Fortified Camp	Present	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Earth Rampart	Absent	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Ditch	Present Inferred	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Complex Fortification	Absent	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Military use of Metals Early Mongols (mn_mongol_early)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Steel	Absent	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Iron	Present	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Copper	Present Inferred	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Bronze	Present Inferred	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Projectiles Early Mongols (mn_mongol_early)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Tension Siege Engine	Absent	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Sling Siege Engine	Absent	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Sling	Absent	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Self Bow	Present	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Javelin	Absent	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Handheld Firearm	Absent	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Gunpowder Siege Artillery	Absent	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Crossbow	Absent	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Composite Bow	Present	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Atlatl	Absent	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Handheld weapons Early Mongols (mn_mongol_early)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
War Club	Present	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Sword	Present	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Spear	Present	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Polearm	Absent	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Dagger	Present	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Battle Axe	Present	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Animals used in warfare Early Mongols (mn_mongol_early)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Horse	Present	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Elephant	Absent	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Donkey	Absent	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Dog	Absent	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Camel	Present	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Armor Early Mongols (mn_mongol_early)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wood Bark Etc	Absent	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Shield	Present	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Scaled Armor	Present	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Plate Armor	Absent	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Limb Protection	Absent	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Leather Cloth	Present	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Laminar Armor	Absent	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Helmet	Present	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Chainmail	Present	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Breastplate	Present	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Naval technology Early Mongols (mn_mongol_early)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Military Vessel	Absent	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Small Vessels Canoes Etc	Absent	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service	Absent	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Economy Variables (Luxury Goods)

Religion Variables

Moralizing Supernatural Punishment and Reward Early Mongols (mn_mongol_early)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Moralizing Enforcement is Broad	Uncoded	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Moralizing Supernatural Concern is Primary	Absent Inferred	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Agentic	Present Inferred	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement in This Life	Present Inferred	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Moralizing Supernatural Punishment And Reward	Present Inferred	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Commoners	Present Inferred	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Targeted	Present Inferred	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement in Afterlife	Present Inferred	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Elites	Present	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement of Rulers	Present Inferred	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Certain	Absent Inferred	1000 CE 1206 CE
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Human Sacrifice Early Mongols (mn_mongol_early)

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