Home Region: Mesopotamia (Southwest Asia)

Ur - Dynasty III

2112 BCE 2004 BCE

D G SC WF R CC

EQ 2020 iq_ur_dyn_3 / IqUrIII

Preceding Entity: Add one more here.

[Gutian Dynasty] [None] Update here

Succeeding Entity: Add one more here.

2028 BCE 1940 BCE Elam - Shimashki Period (ir_elam_2) [continuity]

2004 BCE 1763 BCE Isin-Larsa (iq_isin_larsa) [continuity]

1900 BCE 1701 BCE Elam - Early Sukkalmah (ir_elam_3) [secession]

General Description

The founder of the Third Dynasty of Ur was Ur-Nammu who probably came from Uruk, however he was a military commander (šagina) of Ur, and later its independent ruler who conducted victorious fights with the Gutians and took by force other lands of Sumer and consolidated the whole Akkad and Sumer. Moreover, he also conquered Elam and even reached Susa. His political power was related not only to his conquest, but mainly to his cultural and legislative activities. He was a builder of few great temples and was a lawgiver of one of the oldest ’code’ called Code of Ur-Nammu. ^[1] His son - Shulgi continued father’s politics and he "reorganized system and territorial administrative structure, but also much enlarged its lands and increased international prestige, turning it into a dominant power of the region." ^[2] He seized among other Simurrum, Lullubum, Kimaš, Hurti, Karahar, Šašrum, Harši. He used the political marriages and various alliances as well to cement his state (e. g. his daughters married the ruler of Marhaši and the ensi of Anshan). Two sons of Shulgi reigned 9 years each - Amar-Sin(Amar-Suen)and Shu-Sin(Su-Suen). Amar-Suen led few victorious campaigns against Urbilum, Šašrum and Hurrians. Su-Suen fight against Amorites, however his strategy was more defensive than offensive. The last king from this dynasty -Ibbi-Sin was less successful in fights with Amorites, Gutians and Elamites. After he was betrayed by the governor of Isin named Ishbi- Irra, the Ur became much weaker. Eventually the city of Ur was captured and looted in 2010 and Ibbi-Sin lost his throne and was transported to Susa. Generally speaking, the Ur III period is perceived as a flowering time when many significant changes took place, especially on the field of literature, culture and architecture. However, many important transformation concerning administration, army as well as the position of the ruler were happened. Ur is described often in the literature as "the centralized bureaucratic state" ^[3] with many civil servants and elaborated administration structures. According to Jason Ur: "The kings of Ur created centralized temple and above all royal administrative systems, and attempted to resuscitate a Sumerian identity. ^[4] The state of Ur consisted of three main zones: core, periphery and vassal territories. The core encompasses lands of Sumer and Akkad and it includes 18 provinces. The peripheral areas are defined as the land which were attached by Shulgi (in a consequence of his military activity) such as eastern Iraq, the western provinces of Kurdistan, Luristan, Khuzestan. The third zone, so called "sphere of influence" included vassal states. ^[5] Besides its military achievements, the marital alliances were often used tool to establish or broaden the power of Ur’s kings.

[1]: Stępień 2009, 11-12

[2]: Stępień 2009, 16

[3]: Ur 2014, 256

[4]: Ur 2013, 143

[5]: Stępień 2009, 55-60

General Variables

Identity and Location

1 Utm Zone

1 Original Name

1 Capital

5 Alternative Name

Temporal Bounds

1 Peak Years

1 Duration

Political and Cultural Relations

2 Suprapolity Relations

1 Succeeding Entity

4 Polity Succession

1 Degree of Centralization

Language

2 Linguistic Family

2 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

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 Entertainment Building

Transport Infrastructure

1 Road

1 Port

1 Canal

1 Bridge

Special-purpose Sites

1 Mines or Quarry

1 Trading Emporia

1 Special Purpose Site

1 Enclosure

1 Ceremonial Site

Information / Writing System

1 Written Record

1 Script

1 Nonwritten Record

Information / Kinds of Written Documents

1 Scientific Literature

1 Religious Literature

1 Practical Literature

1 Philosophy

1 Lists Tables and Classification

1 History

1 Fiction

1 Calendar

Information / Money

1 Precious Metal

1 Paper Currency

1 Indigenous Coin

1 Foreign Coin

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

1 Crisis Consequence

Power Transitions Coding in Progress.

Instability Events

5 Instability Event

NGA Settlements:

Year Range	Ur - Dynasty III (iq_ur_dyn_3) was in:
(2112 BCE 2029 BCE)	Southern Mesopotamia / Susiana
(2029 BCE 2004 BCE)	Southern Mesopotamia

Home NGA: Southern Mesopotamia

General Variables

Identity and Location Ur - Dynasty III (iq_ur_dyn_3)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Utm Zone	38 S	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Original Name	Ur - Dynasty III	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Capital	Ur	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Alternative Name	Dynasty III	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Alternative Name	Sumer Renaissance Period	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Alternative Name	IIIrd dynasty of Ur	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Alternative Name	Neo-Sumerian Empire	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Alternative Name	Ur III	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Temporal Bounds Ur - Dynasty III (iq_ur_dyn_3)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More
Peak Years	[2097 BCE ➜ 2038 BCE]
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Duration	[2112 BCE ➜ 2004 BCE]
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Political and Cultural Relations Ur - Dynasty III (iq_ur_dyn_3)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Suprapolity Relations	alliance with [---]	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Suprapolity Relations	personal union with [---]	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Succeeding Entity	Isin	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Preceding Entity	Gutian Dynasty [None] Update here
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Succeeding Entity 2028 BCE 1940 BCE	Elam - Shimashki Period (ir_elam_2) [continuity]
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Succeeding Entity 2004 BCE 1763 BCE	Isin-Larsa (iq_isin_larsa) [continuity]
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Succeeding Entity 1900 BCE 1701 BCE	Elam - Early Sukkalmah (ir_elam_3) [secession]
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Degree of Centralization	unitary state	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Language Ur - Dynasty III (iq_ur_dyn_3)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Linguistic Family	isolate language	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Linguistic Family	Semitic	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Language	Akkadian	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Language	Sumerian	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Religion Ur - Dynasty III (iq_ur_dyn_3)

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

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale Ur - Dynasty III (iq_ur_dyn_3)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Population of the Largest Settlement	200,000 people	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Polity Territory	- Undecided	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Polity Population	[175,000 to 225,000] people	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Hierarchical Complexity Ur - Dynasty III (iq_ur_dyn_3)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Settlement Hierarchy	4	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Religious Level	4	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Military Level	[6 to 7]	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Administrative Level	4	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Professions Ur - Dynasty III (iq_ur_dyn_3)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Soldier	Present	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Bureaucracy Characteristics Ur - Dynasty III (iq_ur_dyn_3)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Government Building	Present	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Merit Promotion	Uncoded Undecided	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Full Time Bureaucrat	Present	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Examination System	Uncoded Undecided	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Law Ur - Dynasty III (iq_ur_dyn_3)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Lawyer	Unknown Suspected	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Judge	Unknown Suspected	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Formal Legal Code	Present	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Court	Unknown Suspected	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Specialized Buildings: polity owned Ur - Dynasty III (iq_ur_dyn_3)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Market	Uncoded Undecided	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Irrigation System	Present	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Food Storage Site	Uncoded Undecided	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Drinking Water Supply System	Uncoded Undecided	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Entertainment Building	Uncoded Undecided	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Transport Infrastructure Ur - Dynasty III (iq_ur_dyn_3)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Road	Present	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Port	Uncoded Undecided	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Canal	Present	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Bridge	Unknown Suspected	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Special-purpose Sites Ur - Dynasty III (iq_ur_dyn_3)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Mines or Quarry	Unknown Suspected	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Trading Emporia	Uncoded Undecided	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Special Purpose Site	Uncoded Undecided	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Enclosure	Uncoded Undecided	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Ceremonial Site	Uncoded Undecided	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Information / Writing System Ur - Dynasty III (iq_ur_dyn_3)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Written Record	Present	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Script	Present	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Nonwritten Record	Present	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Information / Kinds of Written Documents Ur - Dynasty III (iq_ur_dyn_3)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Scientific Literature	Unknown Suspected	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Religious Literature	Present	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Practical Literature	Present	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Philosophy	Unknown Suspected	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Lists Tables and Classification	Present	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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History	Present	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Fiction	Unknown Suspected	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Calendar	Present	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Information / Money Ur - Dynasty III (iq_ur_dyn_3)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Precious Metal	Present	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Paper Currency	Absent	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Indigenous Coin	Absent	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Foreign Coin	Absent	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Information / Postal System Ur - Dynasty III (iq_ur_dyn_3)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Postal Station	Present	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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General Postal Service	Unknown Suspected	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Courier	Present	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Information / Measurement System Ur - Dynasty III (iq_ur_dyn_3)

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

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications Ur - Dynasty III (iq_ur_dyn_3)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wooden Palisade	Present Inferred	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Stone Walls Non Mortared	Unknown Suspected	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Stone Walls Mortared	Unknown Suspected	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Settlements in a Defensive Position	Present Inferred	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Modern Fortification	Absent	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Moat	Present	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Fortified Camp	Unknown Suspected	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Earth Rampart	Present Inferred	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Ditch	Unknown Suspected	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Complex Fortification	Unknown Suspected	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Long Wall	[190 to 300] km	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Military use of Metals Ur - Dynasty III (iq_ur_dyn_3)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Steel	Absent	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Iron	Present Inferred	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Copper	Present	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Bronze	Present	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Projectiles Ur - Dynasty III (iq_ur_dyn_3)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Tension Siege Engine	Unknown Suspected	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Sling Siege Engine	Absent	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Sling	Present	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Self Bow	Present	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Javelin	Present	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Handheld Firearm	Absent	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Gunpowder Siege Artillery	Absent	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Crossbow	Absent	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Composite Bow	Present	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Atlatl	Absent	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Handheld weapons Ur - Dynasty III (iq_ur_dyn_3)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
War Club	Present	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Sword	Present	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Spear	Present	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Polearm	Present	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Dagger	Present	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Battle Axe	Present	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Animals used in warfare Ur - Dynasty III (iq_ur_dyn_3)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Horse	Unknown Suspected	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Elephant	Absent	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Donkey	Present Inferred	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Dog	Present	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Camel	Absent	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Armor Ur - Dynasty III (iq_ur_dyn_3)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wood Bark Etc	Present Inferred	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Shield	Present	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Scaled Armor	Present Inferred	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Plate Armor	Absent	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Limb Protection	Absent Inferred	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Leather Cloth	Present Inferred	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Laminar Armor	Absent	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Helmet	Present	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Chainmail	Absent	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Breastplate	Unknown Suspected	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Naval technology Ur - Dynasty III (iq_ur_dyn_3)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Military Vessel	Unknown Suspected	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Small Vessels Canoes Etc	Present	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service	Unknown Suspected	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Economy Variables (Luxury Goods)

Religion Variables

Moralizing Supernatural Punishment and Reward Ur - Dynasty III (iq_ur_dyn_3)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Moralizing Enforcement is Broad	Present	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Moralizing Supernatural Concern is Primary	Absent	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Agentic	Present	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement in This Life	Present	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Moralizing Supernatural Punishment And Reward	Present	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Targeted	Present	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Elites	Present	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Certain	Absent	2112 BCE 2004 BCE
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Human Sacrifice Ur - Dynasty III (iq_ur_dyn_3)

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