Home Region: Iran (Southwest Asia)

Elam I

900 BCE 744 BCE

D G SC WF R

EQ 2020 ir_neo_elam_1 / IrNElm1

Preceding Entity: Add one more here.

1100 BCE 900 BCE Elam - Crisis Period (ir_elam_8) [None]

Succeeding Entity:

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General Description

The period between c. 1100 and the mid-8th century BCE has been seen as one of decline for the Elamite civilization, ^[1] ^[2] which had by that time occupied the highlands of the south-western Iranian plateau and the fertile lowlands of the Susiana plain for over a millennium. These historically obscure centuries represent a transitional phase between the Middle Elamite and Neo-Elamite Kingdoms. Following M.-J. Steve, we have split the period at 900 BCE, resulting in a ’crisis phase’ between 1100 and 900 and an early Neo-Elamite period between 900 and 744 BCE. ^[3]
In his ’Elamite war’ of 1125-1104 BCE, the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar I invaded Elam and forced the Elamite king Hutelutush-Inshushinak to abandon Susa. ^[4] ^[5] After this date, there is a drastic reduction in written sources for the history of Elam, both in Mesopotamian documents (either Babylonian or Assyrian) and in inscriptions and tablets from Elam itself. ^[2] The traditional interpretation has been that there was a disintegration of centralized authority in Elam between the Babylonian invasion and the reemergence of well-attested Elamite kings in the 8th century BCE. ^[6] However, some scholars question this, pointing out that systematic archaeological excavation of many Elamite sites has yet to be carried out. ^[7] Further, the gaps in the Mesopotamian historical sources, instead of reflecting the disappearance of Elam as a political entity, may be a function of the political crises and famine that affected Assyria and Babylonia during this period. ^[2]
Population and political organization
Due to a scarcity of evidence, the political organization of Elam in the centuries between c. 1100 and 744 BCE remain unclear. Some archaeologists and historians argue that Elam split into multiple autonomous chiefdoms after the Babylonian invasion, ^[8] while others believe it maintained its unity as an organized and centralized state. ^[7] Documents excavated at the site of Anshan dating to the 11th century BCE hint at the survival of some form of royal administration, at least in the highlands. ^[9]
Secure population estimates for the area under Elamite control in this period are lacking.

[1]: (Liverani 2014, 461) Liverani, Marco. 2014. The Ancient Near East: History, Society and Economy. Translated by Soraia Tabatabai. Abingdon: Routledge. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/7DRZQS5Q.

[2]: (Diakonoff 1985, 18) Diakonoff, I. M. 1985. "Elam." In The Cambridge History of Iran, Vol. II: The Median and Achaemenian Periods, edited by I. Gershevitch, 1-24. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/IIDGFEPA.

[3]: (Steve 1992, 21-22) Steve, M.-J. 1992. Syllabaire élamite: Histoire et Paléographie. Civilisations Du Proche-Orient 2. Neuchâtel: Recherches et Publications. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/NVMM9G55.

[4]: (Carter and Stolper 1984, 43) Carter, Elizabeth, and Matthew W. Stolper. 1984. Elam: Surveys of Political History and Archaeology. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/2SDF8S3B.

[5]: (Vallat 1998) Vallat, F. 1998. "Elam I: The History of Elam." Encyclopaedia Iranica. London: Mazda Publishers. http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/elam-i. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/3ACKKUDJ.

[6]: (Liverani 2014, 527-28) Liverani, Marco. 2014. The Ancient Near East: History, Society and Economy. Translated by Soraia Tabatabai. Abingdon: Routledge. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/7DRZQS5Q.

[7]: Wouter Henkelman 2016, personal communication.

[8]: (Hansman 1985, 30) Hansman, J. 1985. "Anshan in the Median and Achaemenian Periods." In The Cambridge History of Iran, Vol II: The Median and Achaemenian Periods, edited by I. Gershevitch, 25-35. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/IXD6RNNR.

[9]: (Waters 2000, 10) Waters, Matthew W. 2000. A Survey of Neo-Elamite History. Helsinki: The Neo-Assyrian Text Corpus Project. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/JH4EIDJU.

General Variables

Identity and Location

1 Original Name

1 Capital

1 Alternative Name

Temporal Bounds

1 Duration

Political and Cultural Relations

1 Succeeding Entity

1 Polity Succession

2 Degree of Centralization

Language

1 Linguistic Family

Religion

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale

1 Polity Territory

1 Polity Population

Hierarchical Complexity

1 Settlement Hierarchy

1 Religious Level

1 Military Level

1 Administrative Level

Professions

1 Professional Priesthood

1 Professional Military Officer

Bureaucracy Characteristics

Law

Specialized Buildings: polity owned

1 Irrigation System

Transport Infrastructure

1 Road

Special-purpose Sites

Information / Writing System

1 Written Record

1 Script

1 Phonetic Alphabetic Writing

1 Nonwritten Record

1 Non Phonetic Writing

Information / Kinds of Written Documents

Information / Money

1 Precious Metal

1 Paper Currency

1 Indigenous Coin

1 Foreign Coin

1 Article

Information / Postal System

1 Postal Station

1 General Postal Service

2 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	Elam I (ir_neo_elam_1) was in:
(900 BCE 744 BCE)	Susiana

Home NGA: Susiana

General Variables

Identity and Location Elam I (ir_neo_elam_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Original Name	Elam	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Capital	Susa	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Alternative Name	Elam - Neo-Elamite I	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Temporal Bounds Elam I (ir_neo_elam_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More
Duration	[900 BCE ➜ 744 BCE]
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Political and Cultural Relations Elam I (ir_neo_elam_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Succeeding Entity	Elam - Neo-Elamite II	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Preceding Entity 1100 BCE 900 BCE	Elam - Crisis Period (ir_elam_8) [None]
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Degree of Centralization	quasi-polity	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Degree of Centralization	confederated state	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Language Elam I (ir_neo_elam_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Linguistic Family	NO_VALUE_ON_WIKI	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Religion Elam I (ir_neo_elam_1)

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

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale Elam I (ir_neo_elam_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Polity Territory	- Undecided	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Polity Population	- Undecided	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Hierarchical Complexity Elam I (ir_neo_elam_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Settlement Hierarchy	[3 to 5]	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Religious Level	- Undecided	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Military Level	[3 to 5]	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Administrative Level	[3 to 5]	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Professions Elam I (ir_neo_elam_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Priesthood	Present Inferred	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Professional Military Officer	Present Inferred	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Bureaucracy Characteristics Elam I (ir_neo_elam_1)

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

Law Elam I (ir_neo_elam_1)

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

Specialized Buildings: polity owned Elam I (ir_neo_elam_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Irrigation System	Present Inferred	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Transport Infrastructure Elam I (ir_neo_elam_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Road	Present Inferred	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Special-purpose Sites Elam I (ir_neo_elam_1)

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

Information / Writing System Elam I (ir_neo_elam_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Written Record	Unknown Suspected	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Script	Unknown Suspected	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Phonetic Alphabetic Writing	Present	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Nonwritten Record	Present	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Non Phonetic Writing	Absent	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Information / Kinds of Written Documents Elam I (ir_neo_elam_1)

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

Information / Money Elam I (ir_neo_elam_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Precious Metal	Unknown Suspected	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Paper Currency	Absent	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Indigenous Coin	Absent	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Foreign Coin	Absent	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Article	Present Inferred	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Information / Postal System Elam I (ir_neo_elam_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Postal Station	Unknown Suspected	900 BCE 744 BCE
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General Postal Service	Unknown Suspected	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Courier	Present Uncertain	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Courier	Absent Uncertain	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Information / Measurement System Elam I (ir_neo_elam_1)

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

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications Elam I (ir_neo_elam_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wooden Palisade	Unknown Suspected	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Stone Walls Non Mortared	Unknown Suspected	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Stone Walls Mortared	Unknown Suspected	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Settlements in a Defensive Position	Present Inferred	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Modern Fortification	Absent	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Moat	Unknown Suspected	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Fortified Camp	Unknown Suspected	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Earth Rampart	Present Inferred	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Ditch	Unknown Suspected	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Complex Fortification	Unknown Suspected	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Long Wall	absent	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Military use of Metals Elam I (ir_neo_elam_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Steel	Absent	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Iron	Present	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Copper	Present	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Bronze	Present	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Projectiles Elam I (ir_neo_elam_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Tension Siege Engine	Absent	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Sling Siege Engine	Absent	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Sling	Present Inferred	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Self Bow	Present	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Javelin	Present Inferred	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Handheld Firearm	Absent	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Gunpowder Siege Artillery	Absent	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Crossbow	Absent	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Composite Bow	Present Inferred	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Atlatl	Absent	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Handheld weapons Elam I (ir_neo_elam_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
War Club	Present	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Sword	Present	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Spear	Present	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Polearm	Present	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Dagger	Present	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Battle Axe	Present	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Animals used in warfare Elam I (ir_neo_elam_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Horse	Present	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Elephant	Unknown Suspected	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Donkey	Present Inferred	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Dog	Unknown Suspected	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Camel	Unknown Suspected	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Armor Elam I (ir_neo_elam_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wood Bark Etc	Present Inferred	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Shield	Unknown Suspected	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Scaled Armor	Unknown Suspected	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Plate Armor	Absent Inferred	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Limb Protection	Unknown Suspected	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Leather Cloth	Present Inferred	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Laminar Armor	Absent Inferred	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Helmet	Present	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Chainmail	Absent	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Breastplate	Unknown Suspected	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Naval technology Elam I (ir_neo_elam_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Military Vessel	Unknown Suspected	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Small Vessels Canoes Etc	Present Inferred	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service	Unknown Suspected	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Economy Variables (Luxury Goods)

Religion Variables

Moralizing Supernatural Punishment and Reward Elam I (ir_neo_elam_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Moralizing Enforcement is Broad	Present	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Moralizing Supernatural Concern is Primary	Absent	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Agentic	Present	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement in This Life	Present Inferred	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Moralizing Supernatural Punishment And Reward	Present	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Commoners	Present	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Targeted	Present	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement in Afterlife	Absent	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Elites	Present	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement of Rulers	Absent	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Certain	Absent	900 BCE 744 BCE
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Human Sacrifice Elam I (ir_neo_elam_1)

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