Home Region: Iran (Southwest Asia)

Formative Period

7200 BCE 7000 BCE

D G SC WF R

EQ 2020 ir_susiana_formative / IrForma

Preceding Entity: Add one more here.

7800 BCE 7200 BCE Pre-Ceramic Period (ir_susiana_pre_ceramic) [None]

Succeeding Entity: Add one more here.

7000 BCE 6000 BCE Susiana - Muhammad Jaffar (ir_susiana_archaic) [None]

General Description

"The Formative Ceramic Phase. Soon after the initial Aceramic phase at Coga Bonut, plain and crude pottery vessels of simple shapes appeared, marking the beginning of the Formative Ceramic phase of the following Archaic period. During this phase, several classes of simple decorated pottery vessels, some with fugitive paint, can be observed (Alizadeh, pp. 43-47). The crude pottery of the Formative Ceramic phase (FIGURE 3) evolved into several outstanding classes of painted pottery, but the straw-tempered ware of the following Archaic Susiana 0 phase continued almost unchanged during the entire Archaic sequence.
The architectural evidence of the Formative Ceramic phase consisted of rectangular small houses with two or three rooms and usually an open court with some fire pits containing fire-cracked rocks. These simple nuclear family residences were built with the characteristic long, cigar-shaped mud bricks that continued to be used until the end of the Archaic period, and even into the Early Susiana period (ca. 5900 BCE). These architecturally awkward bricks have a surprisingly wide geographic distribution from the Susiana plain to southern and central Mesopotamia—for example, they have been found at Tell al-Owayli (Oueili; see Vallat, 1996, pp. 113-15, figs. 2-5) and at Čoḡā Māmi (Oates, p. 116, pl. 22:c)—and as far as Central Asia (Masson and Sarianidi, pp. 33-40, pl. 7). In addition to these peculiar bricks, stone and clay T-shaped figurines and a variety of simple coarse ware were shared by a number of early Neolithic cultures of southwest Asia. Exotic materials, not native to the region, consisted solely of obsidian blades and Persian Gulf shells. These non-local items may possibly have been procured by a trickle-down inter-regional exchange system.
No evidence of intramural burial was found at Coga Bonut during this and preceding phase. The absence of this crucial evidence renders it difficult to assess social status solely on the basis of the distribution of other artifacts, which seem homogeneous in all excavated areas. The evidence of architecture, however, points out to some type of social practice that, though not clearly understood, suggests communal activities at this early stage of social development. Two partially preserved buildings are all that were excavated from this phase (FIGURE 4). The better-preserved building may have had a non-domestic as well as domestic function. The plans of the buildings and the presence of numerous fire pits in them suggest non-domestic character or special status of these buildings as well, the nature of which can only be speculated. The possibility that an extended family resided in this building cannot be ruled out, however (Alizadeh, fig. 11)." ^[1]

[1]: (Alizadeh 2009, Encyclopedia Iranica Online, http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/coga-bonut-archaeological-site)

General Variables

Identity and Location

1 Utm Zone

1 Original Name

1 Alternative Name

Temporal Bounds

1 Duration

Political and Cultural Relations

1 Suprapolity Relations

1 Succeeding 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 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 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 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	Formative Period (ir_susiana_formative) was in:
(7200 BCE 7001 BCE)	Susiana

Home NGA: Susiana

General Variables

Identity and Location Formative Period (ir_susiana_formative)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Utm Zone	39 R	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Original Name	Formative Period	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Alternative Name	Bus Mordeh	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Temporal Bounds Formative Period (ir_susiana_formative)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More
Duration	[7200 BCE ➜ 7000 BCE]
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Political and Cultural Relations Formative Period (ir_susiana_formative)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Suprapolity Relations	none	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Succeeding Entity	Archaic Period	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Preceding Entity 7800 BCE 7200 BCE	Pre-Ceramic Period (ir_susiana_pre_ceramic) [None]
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Succeeding Entity 7000 BCE 6000 BCE	Susiana - Muhammad Jaffar (ir_susiana_archaic) [None]
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Degree of Centralization	quasi-polity	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Language Formative Period (ir_susiana_formative)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Linguistic Family	NO_VALUE_ON_WIKI	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Religion Formative Period (ir_susiana_formative)

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

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale Formative Period (ir_susiana_formative)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Population of the Largest Settlement	[250 to 500] people	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Polity Population	- Undecided	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Hierarchical Complexity Formative Period (ir_susiana_formative)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Settlement Hierarchy	1	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Religious Level	0	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Military Level	1	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Administrative Level	1	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Professions Formative Period (ir_susiana_formative)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Soldier	Unknown Suspected	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Professional Priesthood	Absent	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Professional Military Officer	Unknown Suspected	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Bureaucracy Characteristics Formative Period (ir_susiana_formative)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Government Building	Absent Inferred	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Merit Promotion	Absent Inferred	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Full Time Bureaucrat	Absent Inferred	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Examination System	Absent Inferred	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Law Formative Period (ir_susiana_formative)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Lawyer	Absent Inferred	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Judge	Absent Inferred	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Formal Legal Code	Absent Inferred	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Court	Absent Inferred	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Specialized Buildings: polity owned Formative Period (ir_susiana_formative)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Market	Unknown Suspected	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Irrigation System	Absent Inferred	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Food Storage Site	Present	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Drinking Water Supply System	Unknown Suspected	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Transport Infrastructure Formative Period (ir_susiana_formative)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Road	Absent Inferred	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Port	Unknown Suspected	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Canal	Unknown Suspected	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Bridge	Unknown Suspected	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Special-purpose Sites Formative Period (ir_susiana_formative)

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

Information / Writing System Formative Period (ir_susiana_formative)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Written Record	Absent	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Script	Absent	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Phonetic Alphabetic Writing	Absent	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Non Phonetic Writing	Absent	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Information / Kinds of Written Documents Formative Period (ir_susiana_formative)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Scientific Literature	Absent	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Sacred Text	Absent	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Religious Literature	Absent	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Practical Literature	Absent	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Philosophy	Absent	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Lists Tables and Classification	Absent	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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History	Absent	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Fiction	Absent	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Calendar	Absent	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Information / Money Formative Period (ir_susiana_formative)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Paper Currency	Unknown Suspected	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Indigenous Coin	Unknown Suspected	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Foreign Coin	Unknown Suspected	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Article	Unknown Suspected	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Information / Postal System Formative Period (ir_susiana_formative)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Postal Station	Absent Inferred	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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General Postal Service	Absent Inferred	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Courier	Absent Inferred	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Information / Measurement System Formative Period (ir_susiana_formative)

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

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications Formative Period (ir_susiana_formative)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wooden Palisade	Unknown Suspected	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Stone Walls Non Mortared	Absent	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Stone Walls Mortared	Absent	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Settlements in a Defensive Position	Present	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Modern Fortification	Absent	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Moat	Unknown Suspected	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Fortified Camp	Unknown Suspected	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Earth Rampart	Unknown Suspected	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Ditch	Unknown Suspected	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Complex Fortification	Absent	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Long Wall	absent	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Military use of Metals Formative Period (ir_susiana_formative)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Steel	Absent	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Iron	Absent	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Copper	Absent	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Bronze	Absent	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Projectiles Formative Period (ir_susiana_formative)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Tension Siege Engine	Absent	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Sling Siege Engine	Absent	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Sling	Unknown Suspected	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Self Bow	Present Inferred	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Javelin	Unknown Suspected	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Handheld Firearm	Absent	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Gunpowder Siege Artillery	Absent	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Crossbow	Absent	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Composite Bow	Absent	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Atlatl	Absent	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Handheld weapons Formative Period (ir_susiana_formative)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
War Club	Unknown Suspected	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Sword	Absent	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Spear	Unknown Suspected	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Polearm	Absent	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Dagger	Present Inferred	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Battle Axe	Absent	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Animals used in warfare Formative Period (ir_susiana_formative)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Horse	Absent	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Elephant	Absent	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Donkey	Unknown Suspected	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Dog	Present	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Camel	Absent	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Armor Formative Period (ir_susiana_formative)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wood Bark Etc	Unknown Suspected	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Shield	Unknown Suspected	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Scaled Armor	Absent	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Plate Armor	Absent	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Limb Protection	Unknown Suspected	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Leather Cloth	Unknown Suspected	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Laminar Armor	Absent	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Helmet	Absent	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Chainmail	Absent	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Breastplate	Unknown Suspected	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Naval technology Formative Period (ir_susiana_formative)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Military Vessel	Absent	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Small Vessels Canoes Etc	Unknown Suspected	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service	Absent	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Economy Variables (Luxury Goods)

Religion Variables

Moralizing Supernatural Punishment and Reward Formative Period (ir_susiana_formative)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Moralizing Enforcement is Broad	Unknown	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Moralizing Supernatural Concern is Primary	Unknown	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Agentic	Unknown	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement in This Life	Unknown	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Moralizing Supernatural Punishment And Reward	Unknown	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Commoners	Unknown	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Targeted	Unknown	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement in Afterlife	Unknown	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Elites	Unknown	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement of Rulers	Unknown	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Certain	Unknown	7200 BCE 7000 BCE
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Human Sacrifice Formative Period (ir_susiana_formative)

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