Home Region: Western Europe (Europe)

Beaker Culture

3200 BCE 2000 BCE

D G SC WF R

EQ 2020 fr_beaker_eba / FrBeakr

Preceding Entity: Add one more here.

[continuity, population migration; Late Neolithic Europe] [population replacement] Update here

Succeeding Entity: Add one more here.

2200 BCE 1000 BCE Atlantic Complex (fr_atlantic_complex) [continuity]

General Description

In the late 3rd millennium BCE, new forms of material culture spread across the former megalithic zone of Neolithic Europe. ^[1] ^[2] ^[3] The Beaker, or Bell-Beaker, ^[4] phenomenon is named after a characteristic drinking vessel, which had an inverted bell shape and was decorated with incisions. ^[5] Other features of this cultural ’package’ include individual burials in round mounds, sets of weapons and metals, and other precious items. ^[6]
The phenomenon started in what is now the Netherlands and expanded into Britain, Brittany, southern Spain and then into most of continental France, Belgium, Switzerland and Western Europe in the form of small pockets of activity. ^[7] ^[8]
Population and political organization
Beaker society was organized into myriad stratified polities of varying sizes. Some were composed of small, dispersed communities with 10 to 20 domestic units, ^[9] but larger groups could gather into fortified settlements: Los Millares in Spain was home to 1000-1500 people. ^[6] The Beaker culture is also associated with demographic growth in Europe, as the small-scale polities moved into previously marginal lands. ^[6]
The spread of this material culture has been interpreted as evidence for a wide set of circulation networks, fuelled by elite demand for prestige goods. ^[6] The items may have been exchanged on the occasion of social rituals consolidating the power of emerging leaders. ^[6] In this interpretation, the archaeologically visible spread of Beaker culture would not be tied to immigration but to the emergence of mobile ways of life, ^[10] with independent leaders affirming their belonging to a wider cultural sphere through the consumption and display of valuable items. ^[6]
Beaker people built on the legacy of their early Neolithic predecessors, reusing and modifying ceremonial structures such as Stonehenge. ^[11] However they distinguished themselves through their burial customs, preferring single burials in grave pits to passage and gallery graves. In certain areas, such as the Iberian Peninsula or southern France, they occasionally reused ancient megalithic structures. ^[12]

[1]: (McIntosh 2006, 55) McIntosh, J. 2006. Handbook to Life in Prehistoric Europe. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/B5R92FJH.

[2]: (Sherratt 1994, 250) Sherratt, Andrew. 1994. "The emergence of elites: earlier Bronze Age Europe, 2500-1300 BC." in B. Cunliffe (ed.) The Oxford illustrated prehistory of Europe: 244-276. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/STUGR4MM.

[3]: (Milisauskas and Kruk 2002, 252) Milisauskas, Sarunas, and Janusz Kruk. 2002. “Late Neolithic Crises, Collapse, New Ideologies, and Economies, 3500/3000-2200/2000 BC.” In European Prehistory: A Survey, edited by Sarunas Milisauskas, 247-69. New York: Springer US. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/ERGSEABJ.

[4]: (Milisauskas and Kruk 2002, 248) Milisauskas, Sarunas, and Janusz Kruk. 2002. “Late Neolithic Crises, Collapse, New Ideologies, and Economies, 3500/3000-2200/2000 BC.” In European Prehistory: A Survey, edited by Sarunas Milisauskas, 247-69. New York: Springer US. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/ERGSEABJ.

[5]: (Sherratt 1994, 250-251) Sherratt, Andrew. 1994. "The emergence of elites: earlier Bronze Age Europe, 2500-1300 BC." in B. Cunliffe (ed.) The Oxford illustrated prehistory of Europe: 244-276. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/STUGR4MM.

[6]: (Clop Garcia 2001, 26) Garcia, Xavier Clop. 2001. “Bell Beaker.” In Encyclopedia of Prehistory, edited by Peter Neal Peregrine and Melvin Ember, 4:24-31. New York: Springer US. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/XHZC4QMJ.

[7]: (Sherratt 1994, 246) Sherratt, Andrew. 1994. "The emergence of elites: earlier Bronze Age Europe, 2500-1300 BC." in B. Cunliffe (ed.) The Oxford illustrated prehistory of Europe: 244-276. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/STUGR4MM.

[8]: (Milisauskas and Kruk 2002, 214) Milisauskas, Sarunas, and Janusz Kruk. 2002. “Late Neolithic Crises, Collapse, New Ideologies, and Economies, 3500/3000-2200/2000 BC.” In European Prehistory: A Survey, edited by Sarunas Milisauskas, 247-69. New York: Springer US. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/ERGSEABJ.

[9]: (Clop Garcia 2001, 25) Garcia, Xavier Clop. 2001. “Bell Beaker.” In Encyclopedia of Prehistory, edited by Peter Neal Peregrine and Melvin Ember, 4:24-31. New York: Springer US. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/XHZC4QMJ.

[10]: (Sherratt 1994, 250-251) Sherratt, Andrew. 1994. "The emergence of elites: earlier Bronze Age Europe, 2500-1300 BC." in B. Cunliffe (ed.) The Oxford illustrated prehistory of Europe: 244-276. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/STUGR4MM.

[11]: (Clop Garcia 2001, 28) Garcia, Xavier Clop. 2001. “Bell Beaker.” In Encyclopedia of Prehistory, edited by Peter Neal Peregrine and Melvin Ember, 4:24-31. New York: Springer US. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/XHZC4QMJ.

[12]: (Clop Garcia 2001, 28-29) Garcia, Xavier Clop. 2001. “Bell Beaker.” In Encyclopedia of Prehistory, edited by Peter Neal Peregrine and Melvin Ember, 4:24-31. New York: Springer US. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/XHZC4QMJ.

General Variables

Identity and Location

1 Utm Zone

1 Original Name

1 Capital

1 Alternative Name

Temporal Bounds

1 Duration

Political and Cultural Relations

1 Suprapolity Relations

2 Supracultural Entity

1 Succeeding Entity

2 Relationship to preceding Entity

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 Military 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 Drinking Water Supply System

Transport Infrastructure

1 Road

1 Port

1 Canal

1 Bridge

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

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	Beaker Culture (fr_beaker_eba) was in:
(3200 BCE 2201 BCE)	Paris Basin

Home NGA: Paris Basin

General Variables

Identity and Location Beaker Culture (fr_beaker_eba)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Utm Zone	31 U	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Original Name	Beaker Culture	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Capital	None (Absent Capital)	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Alternative Name	Bell-beaker culture	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Temporal Bounds Beaker Culture (fr_beaker_eba)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More
Duration	[3200 BCE ➜ 2000 BCE]
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Political and Cultural Relations Beaker Culture (fr_beaker_eba)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Suprapolity Relations	none	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Supracultural Entity	Chalcolithic	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Supracultural Entity	Late Neolithic	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Succeeding Entity	Atlantic Complex	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Relationship to Preceding Entity	continuity	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Relationship to Preceding Entity	population migration	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Succeeding Entity 2200 BCE 1000 BCE	Atlantic Complex (fr_atlantic_complex) [continuity]
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Preceding Entity	continuity, population migration; Late Neolithic Europe [population replacement] Update here
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Degree of Centralization	quasi-polity	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Language Beaker Culture (fr_beaker_eba)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Linguistic Family	Indo-European	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Religion Beaker Culture (fr_beaker_eba)

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

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale Beaker Culture (fr_beaker_eba)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Population of the Largest Settlement	[800 to 1,200] people	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Polity Population	[800 to 1,200] people	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Hierarchical Complexity Beaker Culture (fr_beaker_eba)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Settlement Hierarchy	[1 to 2]	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Religious Level	- Suspected	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Military Level	- Suspected	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Administrative Level	1	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Professions Beaker Culture (fr_beaker_eba)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Soldier	Unknown Suspected	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Professional Priesthood	Unknown Suspected	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Professional Military Officer	Unknown Suspected	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Bureaucracy Characteristics Beaker Culture (fr_beaker_eba)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Government Building	Unknown Suspected	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Merit Promotion	Unknown Suspected	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Full Time Bureaucrat	Unknown Suspected	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Examination System	Unknown Suspected	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Law Beaker Culture (fr_beaker_eba)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Lawyer	Unknown Suspected	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Judge	Unknown Suspected	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Formal Legal Code	Unknown Suspected	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Court	Unknown Suspected	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Specialized Buildings: polity owned Beaker Culture (fr_beaker_eba)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Market	Unknown Suspected	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Irrigation System	Present Inferred	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Drinking Water Supply System	Unknown Suspected	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Transport Infrastructure Beaker Culture (fr_beaker_eba)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Road	Present Inferred	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Port	Unknown Suspected	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Canal	Unknown Suspected	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Bridge	Unknown Suspected	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Special-purpose Sites Beaker Culture (fr_beaker_eba)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Mines or Quarry	Present	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Information / Writing System Beaker Culture (fr_beaker_eba)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Written Record	Unknown Suspected	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Script	Unknown Suspected	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Phonetic Alphabetic Writing	Unknown Suspected	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Nonwritten Record	Unknown Suspected	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Non Phonetic Writing	Unknown Suspected	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Mnemonic Device	Unknown Suspected	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Information / Kinds of Written Documents Beaker Culture (fr_beaker_eba)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Scientific Literature	Unknown Suspected	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Sacred Text	Unknown Suspected	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Religious Literature	Unknown Suspected	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Practical Literature	Unknown Suspected	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Philosophy	Unknown Suspected	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Lists Tables and Classification	Unknown Suspected	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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History	Unknown Suspected	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Fiction	Unknown Suspected	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Calendar	Unknown Suspected	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Information / Money Beaker Culture (fr_beaker_eba)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Token	Present Inferred	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Precious Metal	Present Inferred	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Paper Currency	Unknown Suspected	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Indigenous Coin	Unknown Suspected	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Foreign Coin	Unknown Suspected	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Article	Present Inferred	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Information / Postal System Beaker Culture (fr_beaker_eba)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Postal Station	Unknown Suspected	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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General Postal Service	Unknown Suspected	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Courier	Unknown Suspected	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Information / Measurement System Beaker Culture (fr_beaker_eba)

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

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications Beaker Culture (fr_beaker_eba)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wooden Palisade	Present	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Stone Walls Non Mortared	Present	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Stone Walls Mortared	Absent Inferred	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Settlements in a Defensive Position	Present	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Modern Fortification	Absent Inferred	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Moat	Absent Inferred	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Fortified Camp	Present	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Earth Rampart	Unknown Suspected	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Ditch	Present	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Complex Fortification	Present	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Long Wall	absent	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Military use of Metals Beaker Culture (fr_beaker_eba)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Steel	Unknown Suspected	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Iron	Absent	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Copper	Present	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Bronze	Absent	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Projectiles Beaker Culture (fr_beaker_eba)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Tension Siege Engine	Absent Inferred	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Sling Siege Engine	Absent Inferred	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Sling	Absent Inferred	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Self Bow	Present	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Javelin	Present Inferred	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Handheld Firearm	Absent Inferred	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Gunpowder Siege Artillery	Absent Inferred	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Crossbow	Absent Inferred	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Composite Bow	Absent Inferred	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Atlatl	Absent Inferred	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Handheld weapons Beaker Culture (fr_beaker_eba)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
War Club	Present Inferred	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Sword	Absent Inferred	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Spear	Present Inferred	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Polearm	Present Inferred	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Dagger	Present	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Battle Axe	Present	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Animals used in warfare Beaker Culture (fr_beaker_eba)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Horse	Present Inferred	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Elephant	Absent Inferred	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Donkey	Absent Inferred	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Dog	Unknown Suspected	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Camel	Absent Inferred	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Armor Beaker Culture (fr_beaker_eba)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wood Bark Etc	Unknown Suspected	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Shield	Unknown Suspected	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Scaled Armor	Absent	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Plate Armor	Absent	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Limb Protection	Absent Inferred	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Leather Cloth	Present Inferred	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Laminar Armor	Absent	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Helmet	Absent Inferred	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Chainmail	Absent	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Breastplate	Absent Inferred	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Naval technology Beaker Culture (fr_beaker_eba)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Military Vessel	Absent Inferred	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Small Vessels Canoes Etc	Present Inferred	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service	Absent Inferred	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Economy Variables (Luxury Goods)

Religion Variables

Moralizing Supernatural Punishment and Reward Beaker Culture (fr_beaker_eba)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Moralizing Enforcement is Broad	Absent Inferred	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Moralizing Supernatural Concern is Primary	Absent Inferred	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Agentic	Present Inferred	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement in This Life	Present Inferred	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Moralizing Supernatural Punishment And Reward	Present Inferred	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Commoners	Present Inferred	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Targeted	Present Inferred	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement in Afterlife	Unknown	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Elites	Present Inferred	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement of Rulers	Present Inferred	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Certain	Unknown	3200 BCE 2000 BCE
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Human Sacrifice Beaker Culture (fr_beaker_eba)

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