Home Region: Turkestan (Central and Northern Eurasia)

Sogdiana - City-States Period

604 CE 711 CE

D G SC WF R

EQ 2020 uz_sogdiana_city_states / UzSogdi

Preceding Entity: Add one more here.

582 CE 630 CE Western Turk Khaganate (kg_western_turk_khaganate) [continuity]

Succeeding Entity:

No Polity found. Add one here.

General Description

General description:
The Sogdian City States Period, also referred to by the names of the principal cities of the age, Bukhara and Samarkand dates to between 604 and 711CE. The period ends with the conquest of the region by the Umayyad Dynasty.^[1]
A number of City States rose to prominence in the Zarafshan and surrounding valleys, they formed alliances and competed amongst each other for control of the region .^[2] Chef amongst these City States was Samarkand, which in the seventh century extended across the plateau of Afrasiab.^[3]
The height of this period can be considered to have occurred in mid the 7th century CE when the city of Samarkand was at the peak of its economic and culture production, symbolized by the creation of the Afrasiab paintings. ^[4]
Although the City States had achieved de facto independence after the fall of the Western Kaghanate, they were nominally allied to the Chinese T’ang dynasty, however the dynasty did not meaningfully hinder the Arab incursions.^[1]
Population and political organization:
Each city state was ruled by a king, conceived of as ‘first among equals’ who headed the administrative system which ran the state.^[5] While there is clear evidence of a strong merchant class their relationship to the ruling elite remains unclear. ^[6]
Although there are no precise population figures the archaeological evidence indicates that the number of settlements, and thus population, in the region reached its height during this period.^[7]

[1]: (Marshak 1996, 242) Marshak, B. I. 1996. ‘Sughd and Adjacent Regions’. In B. A. Litvinsky (ed.), Co-editors: Zhang Guang-da and R. Shabani Samghabadi. History of Civilizations of Central Asia. The Crossroads of Civilizations: A.D. 250 to 750. Volume III. Paris: UNESCO. p.242https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/collectionKey/IZCFUKJQ/itemKey/5AW7RCHD

[2]: (De la Vaissière 2005, 167) De la Vaissière, E. 2005. Sogdian Traders: a History. Translated by James Ward. Leiden; Boston: Brill. p.167 https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/collectionKey/IZCFUKJQ/itemKey/8P724M2D

[3]: (Marshak 1996, 244) Marshak, B. I. 1996. ‘Sughd and Adjacent Regions’. In B. A. Litvinsky (ed.), Co-editors: Zhang Guang-da and R. Shabani Samghabadi. History of Civilizations of Central Asia. The Crossroads of Civilizations: A.D. 250 to 750. Volume III. Paris: UNESCO. p.244https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/collectionKey/IZCFUKJQ/itemKey/5AW7RCHD

[4]: (Frumkin 1970, 124) Frumkin, G. 1970. Archaeology in Soviet Central Asia. Leiden;Koln. Brill. p.124 https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/collectionKey/IZCFUKJQ/itemKey/48WCJTCC

[5]: (De la Vaissière 2005, 167) De la Vaissière, E. 2005. Sogdian Traders: a History. Translated by James Ward. Leiden; Boston: Brill.p.167 https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/collectionKey/IZCFUKJQ/itemKey/8P724M2D

[6]: (De la Vaissière 2005, 168-169) De la Vaissière, E. 2005. Sogdian Traders: a History. Translated by James Ward. Leiden; Boston: Brill. pp.168-169 https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/collectionKey/IZCFUKJQ/itemKey/8P724M2D

[7]: (De la Vaissière 2005, 103-4) De La Vaissiere, Etienne. 2005. Sogdian Traders: A History. [trans James Ward] Leiden: Brill.p.103-4 https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/collectionKey/IZCFUKJQ/itemKey/8P724M2D

General Variables

Identity and Location

1 Utm Zone

1 Original Name

2 Capital

3 Alternative Name

Temporal Bounds

1 Peak Years

1 Duration

Political and Cultural Relations

3 Suprapolity Relations

1 Supracultural Entity

1 Succeeding Entity

1 Scale of Supracultural Interaction

1 Relationship to preceding Entity

1 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

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

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

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 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 Coding in Progress.

Power Transitions Coding in Progress.

Instability Events Coding in Progress.

NGA Settlements:

Year Range	Sogdiana - City-States Period (uz_sogdiana_city_states) was in:
(604 CE 711 CE)	Sogdiana

Home NGA: Sogdiana

General Variables

Identity and Location Sogdiana - City-States Period (uz_sogdiana_city_states)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Utm Zone	42 T	604 CE 711 CE
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Original Name	Sogdiana - City-States Period	604 CE 711 CE
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Capital	Bukhara	604 CE 711 CE
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Capital	Samarkand	604 CE 711 CE
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Alternative Name	Bukhara	604 CE 711 CE
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Alternative Name	Samarkand	604 CE 711 CE
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Alternative Name	Sogdiana	604 CE 711 CE
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Temporal Bounds Sogdiana - City-States Period (uz_sogdiana_city_states)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More
Peak Years	700 CE
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Duration	[604 CE ➜ 711 CE]
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Political and Cultural Relations Sogdiana - City-States Period (uz_sogdiana_city_states)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Suprapolity Relations	alliance with [---]	604 CE 711 CE
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Suprapolity Relations	nominal allegiance to [---]	604 CE 711 CE
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Suprapolity Relations	tr_east_roman_emp alliance with uz_sogdiana_city_states	395 CE 631 CE
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Supracultural Entity	Sogdian	604 CE 711 CE
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Succeeding Entity	Umayyad Caliphate	604 CE 711 CE
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Scale of Supracultural Interaction	500,000 km²	604 CE 711 CE
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Relationship to Preceding Entity	continuity	604 CE 711 CE
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Preceding Entity 582 CE 630 CE	Western Turk Khaganate (kg_western_turk_khaganate) [continuity]
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Degree of Centralization	quasi-polity	604 CE 711 CE
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Language Sogdiana - City-States Period (uz_sogdiana_city_states)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Linguistic Family	Indo-European	604 CE 711 CE
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Language	Sogdian	604 CE 711 CE
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Religion Sogdiana - City-States Period (uz_sogdiana_city_states)

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

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale Sogdiana - City-States Period (uz_sogdiana_city_states)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Population of the Largest Settlement	[11,000 to 44,000] people	604 CE 711 CE
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Polity Territory	[10,000 to 20,000] km²	604 CE 711 CE
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Polity Population	[15,000 to 50,000] people	604 CE 711 CE
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Hierarchical Complexity Sogdiana - City-States Period (uz_sogdiana_city_states)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Settlement Hierarchy	[2 to 4]	604 CE 711 CE
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Religious Level	[1 to 3]	604 CE 711 CE
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Military Level	[3 to 4]	604 CE 711 CE
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Administrative Level	[3 to 4]	604 CE 711 CE
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Professions Sogdiana - City-States Period (uz_sogdiana_city_states)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Soldier	Present Inferred	604 CE 711 CE
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Professional Priesthood	Present	604 CE 711 CE
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Professional Military Officer	Present Inferred	604 CE 711 CE
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Bureaucracy Characteristics Sogdiana - City-States Period (uz_sogdiana_city_states)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Government Building	Present	604 CE 711 CE
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Merit Promotion	Absent Inferred	604 CE 711 CE
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Full Time Bureaucrat	Present Inferred	604 CE 711 CE
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Examination System	Absent Inferred	604 CE 711 CE
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Law Sogdiana - City-States Period (uz_sogdiana_city_states)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Lawyer	Present Inferred	604 CE 711 CE
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Judge	Present Inferred	604 CE 711 CE
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Formal Legal Code	Present Inferred	604 CE 711 CE
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Court	Present Inferred	604 CE 711 CE
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Specialized Buildings: polity owned Sogdiana - City-States Period (uz_sogdiana_city_states)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Market	Present	604 CE 711 CE
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Irrigation System	Present	604 CE 711 CE
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Food Storage Site	Present Inferred	604 CE 711 CE
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Drinking Water Supply System	Absent Inferred	604 CE 711 CE
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Transport Infrastructure Sogdiana - City-States Period (uz_sogdiana_city_states)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Road	Present Inferred	604 CE 711 CE
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Port	Absent Inferred	604 CE 711 CE
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Canal	Present	604 CE 711 CE
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Bridge	Present	604 CE 711 CE
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Special-purpose Sites Sogdiana - City-States Period (uz_sogdiana_city_states)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Mines or Quarry	Present	604 CE 711 CE
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Information / Writing System Sogdiana - City-States Period (uz_sogdiana_city_states)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Written Record	Present	604 CE 711 CE
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Script	Present	604 CE 711 CE
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Phonetic Alphabetic Writing	Present	604 CE 711 CE
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Nonwritten Record	Present	604 CE 711 CE
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Non Phonetic Writing	Unknown Suspected	604 CE 711 CE
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Information / Kinds of Written Documents Sogdiana - City-States Period (uz_sogdiana_city_states)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Scientific Literature	Present	604 CE 711 CE
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Sacred Text	Present Inferred	604 CE 711 CE
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Religious Literature	Present	604 CE 711 CE
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Practical Literature	Present	604 CE 711 CE
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Philosophy	Present Inferred	604 CE 711 CE
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Lists Tables and Classification	Present Inferred	604 CE 711 CE
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History	Present	604 CE 711 CE
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Fiction	Present	604 CE 711 CE
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Calendar	Present	604 CE 711 CE
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Information / Money Sogdiana - City-States Period (uz_sogdiana_city_states)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Token	Present	604 CE 711 CE
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Precious Metal	Present	604 CE 711 CE
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Paper Currency	Absent Inferred	604 CE 711 CE
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Indigenous Coin	Present	604 CE 711 CE
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Foreign Coin	Present Inferred	604 CE 711 CE
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Article	Present Inferred	604 CE 711 CE
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Information / Postal System Sogdiana - City-States Period (uz_sogdiana_city_states)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Courier	Unknown Suspected	604 CE 711 CE
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Information / Measurement System Sogdiana - City-States Period (uz_sogdiana_city_states)

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

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications Sogdiana - City-States Period (uz_sogdiana_city_states)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wooden Palisade	Present Inferred	604 CE 711 CE
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Stone Walls Non Mortared	Present Inferred	604 CE 711 CE
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Stone Walls Mortared	Unknown Suspected	604 CE 711 CE
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Settlements in a Defensive Position	Unknown Suspected	604 CE 711 CE
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Modern Fortification	Absent	604 CE 711 CE
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Moat	Unknown Suspected	604 CE 711 CE
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Fortified Camp	Unknown Suspected	604 CE 711 CE
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Earth Rampart	Unknown Suspected	604 CE 711 CE
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Ditch	Unknown Suspected	604 CE 711 CE
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Complex Fortification	Present Inferred	604 CE 711 CE
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Military use of Metals Sogdiana - City-States Period (uz_sogdiana_city_states)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Steel	Present Inferred	604 CE 711 CE
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Iron	Present	604 CE 711 CE
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Copper	Present	604 CE 711 CE
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Bronze	Present	604 CE 711 CE
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Projectiles Sogdiana - City-States Period (uz_sogdiana_city_states)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Tension Siege Engine	Present Inferred	604 CE 711 CE
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Sling Siege Engine	Absent	604 CE 711 CE
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Sling	Unknown Suspected	604 CE 711 CE
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Self Bow	Absent Inferred	604 CE 711 CE
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Javelin	Present Inferred	604 CE 711 CE
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Handheld Firearm	Absent	604 CE 711 CE
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Gunpowder Siege Artillery	Absent	604 CE 711 CE
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Crossbow	Present Inferred	604 CE 711 CE
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Composite Bow	Present Inferred	604 CE 711 CE
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Atlatl	Absent	604 CE 711 CE
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Handheld weapons Sogdiana - City-States Period (uz_sogdiana_city_states)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
War Club	Present Inferred	604 CE 711 CE
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Sword	Present Inferred	604 CE 711 CE
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Spear	Present Inferred	604 CE 711 CE
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Polearm	Unknown Suspected	604 CE 711 CE
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Dagger	Present Inferred	604 CE 711 CE
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Battle Axe	Present Inferred	604 CE 711 CE
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Animals used in warfare Sogdiana - City-States Period (uz_sogdiana_city_states)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Horse	Present	604 CE 711 CE
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Elephant	Unknown Suspected	604 CE 711 CE
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Donkey	Present	604 CE 711 CE
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Dog	Unknown Suspected	604 CE 711 CE
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Camel	Unknown Suspected	604 CE 711 CE
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Armor Sogdiana - City-States Period (uz_sogdiana_city_states)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wood Bark Etc	Present	604 CE 711 CE
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Shield	Present	604 CE 711 CE
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Scaled Armor	Present	604 CE 711 CE
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Plate Armor	Unknown Suspected	604 CE 711 CE
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Limb Protection	Present Inferred	604 CE 711 CE
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Leather Cloth	Present	604 CE 711 CE
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Laminar Armor	Present	604 CE 711 CE
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Helmet	Present Inferred	604 CE 711 CE
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Chainmail	Present	604 CE 711 CE
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Breastplate	Present Inferred	604 CE 711 CE
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Naval technology Sogdiana - City-States Period (uz_sogdiana_city_states)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Military Vessel	Absent	604 CE 711 CE
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Small Vessels Canoes Etc	Present	604 CE 711 CE
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Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service	Absent	604 CE 711 CE
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Economy Variables (Luxury Goods)

Religion Variables

Moralizing Supernatural Punishment and Reward Sogdiana - City-States Period (uz_sogdiana_city_states)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Moralizing Enforcement is Broad	Present	604 CE 711 CE
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Moralizing Supernatural Concern is Primary	Present	604 CE 711 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Agentic	Present	604 CE 711 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement in This Life	Present	604 CE 711 CE
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Moralizing Supernatural Punishment And Reward	Present	604 CE 711 CE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Commoners	Present	604 CE 711 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Targeted	Present	604 CE 711 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement in Afterlife	Present	604 CE 711 CE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Elites	Present	604 CE 711 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement of Rulers	Present	604 CE 711 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Certain	Present	604 CE 711 CE
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Human Sacrifice Sogdiana - City-States Period (uz_sogdiana_city_states)

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