Home Region:  Northeast Africa (Africa)

Egypt - Middle Kingdom

2016 BCE 1700 BCE
EQ 2020  eg_middle_k / EgMidKg
Preceding Entity: Add one more here.
2150 BCE 2016 BCE Egypt - Period of the Regions (eg_regions)    [None]

Succeeding Entity: Add one more here.
1720 BCE 1567 BCE Egypt - Thebes-Hyksos Period (eg_thebes_hyksos)    [None]

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  General Description  
After a phase of decentralized state power during the Period of the Regions (or First Intermediate Period), Egypt became unified once again during the Middle Kingdom (Eleventh, Twelfth and Thirteenth Dynasties, 2016‒1700 BCE), experiencing a ’golden age’. [1] Achievements in art, architecture, writing and religion ‒ coupled with a growing ’middle class’ and the increased importance of scribes ‒ reached their peak during this period, particularly under Amenemhat III (r. 1831‒1786 BCE). [2]
Population and political organization
The Middle Kingdom king ruled via royal decree, [3] but he and his officials were responsive to petitions from the people. We lack detailed information about the royal palace, although Stephen Quirke suggests that the terms k3p and hnty might refer to an inner and outer palace respectively. [4] The first Middle Kingdom capital was at Thebes in Upper Egypt, but was moved during the Twelfth Dynasty to El-Lisht at the neck of the Delta in Lower Egypt. From this new location, the monarchy exerted more centralized control over the country and expanded the bureaucratic system. [5] Administrative reforms under Senusret III (r. 1878-1839 BCE) resulted in the reorganization of the provinces around 1860 BCE: ’the old system of hereditary nomarchs was destroyed and replaced by a bureaucratic machinery, the operators of which owed their allegiance to the king’. [3] [6] For the first time since the Classic Old Kingdom, the central state had become powerful enough to directly command all the regions of Egypt.
During the Middle Kingdom, the nome (province) of the Old Kingdom was replaced by a ’city district’ centred on an urban complex and headed by a hat-ya (’mayor’). [7] The mayors received orders from the central government, specifically the vizier, and were responsible for tax collection and supervising the royal domains. [7] Thebes was the administrative centre for southern Upper Egypt and Lower Nubia. [8] The army was professional in the Middle Kingdom. [9] The king remained a divine ruler, legitimated as the guarantor and preserver of maat, the principle of harmony and cosmic order. [10] [11]
Amenemhat III laid the foundations for a much larger Egyptian population (in his time, the country still had under two million inhabitants). [12] Using giant waterwheels and a canal from the Faiyum to the Nile, the Egyptians managed to improve irrigation in this fertile region and control flooding: a measure of sophisticated technology, strong central control, and a good deal of foresight. Another indication of the sophistication of Middle Kingdom technology is that the scribe responsible for the famed Rhind Mathematical Papyrus, dating to the Second Intermediate Period, noted that the work was copied from a Middle Kingdom original. [13] Literacy and a culture of storytelling were widespread: the Tale of the Eloquent Peasant, Tale of the Shipwrecked Sailor, Story of Sinuhe, Account of the Sporting King, and many others represent the birth of written fiction in Egypt. [14] The Tale of King Cheops’ Court reveals a lively interest at this time in the history of Classic Old Kingdom Egypt. [15]

[1]: (Callender 2000, 171) Gae Callender. 2000. ’The Middle Kingdom Renaissance (c. 2055-1650 BC)’, in The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt, edited by Ian Shaw, 137-71. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

[2]: (Callender 2000, 156) Gae Callender. 2000. ’The Middle Kingdom Renaissance (c. 2055-1650 BC)’, in The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt, edited by Ian Shaw, 137-71. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

[3]: (Ezzamel 2004, 502) Mahmoud Ezzamel. 2004. ’Work Organization in the Middle Kingdom, Ancient Egypt’. Organization 11 (4): 497-537.

[4]: (Pagliari 2012, 267-269) Giulia Pagliari. 2012. ’Function and Significance of Ancient Egyptian Royal Palaces from the Middle Kingdom to the Saite Period: A Lexicographical Study and Its Possible Connection with the Archaeological Evidence’. PhD thesis, University of Birmingham.

[5]: (Callender 2000, 146-47) Gae Callender. 2000. ’The Middle Kingdom Renaissance (c. 2055-1650 BC)’, in The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt, edited by Ian Shaw, 137-71. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

[6]: (Callender 2000, 163-64) Gae Callender. 2000. ’The Middle Kingdom Renaissance (c. 2055-1650 BC)’, in The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt, edited by Ian Shaw, 137-71. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

[7]: (Haring 2010, 225) Ben Haring. 2010. ’Administration and Law: Pharaonic’, in A Companion to Ancient Egypt, edited by Alan B. Lloyd, 218-36. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell.

[8]: (Quirke 2001, 16) Stephen G. J. Quirke. 2001. ’Administration: State Administration’, in The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt, edited by D. B. Redford, 12-16. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

[9]: (Van De Mieroop 2011, 105) Marc Van De Mieroop. 2011. A History of Ancient Egypt. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell.

[10]: (Pu 2005, 86) Muzhou Pu. 2005. Enemies of Civilization: Attitudes towards Foreigners in Ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, and China. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press.

[11]: (Szpakowska 2010, 521) Kasia Szpakowska. 2010. ’Religion in Society: Pharaonic’, in A Companion to Ancient Egypt, Volume 1, edited by Alan B. Lloyd, 507-25. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell.

[12]: (Willems 2013, 343) Harco Willems. 2013. ’Nomarchs and Local Potentates: The Provincial Administration in the Middle Kingdom’, in Ancient Egyptian Adminstration, edited by Juan Carlos Moreno García, 341-92. Leiden: Brill.

[13]: (Van De Mieroop 2011, 134) Marc Van De Mieroop. 2011. A History of Ancient Egypt. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell.

[14]: (Van Blerk 2006) N. J. Van Blerk. 2006. ’The Concept of Law and Justice in Ancient Egypt, with Specific Reference to The Tale of The Eloquent Peasant’. Master’s dissertation, University of South Africa. Available online at http://uir.unisa.ac.za/bitstream/handle/10500/2447/dissertation.pdf.

[15]: (Enmarch 2010) Roland Enmarch. 2010. ’Middle Kingdom Literature’, in A Companion to Ancient Egypt, Volume 2, edited by Alan B. Lloyd, 663-85. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell.

Economy Variables (Luxury Goods) Coding in Progress.
Religion Variables Coding in Progress.

NGA Settlements:

Year Range Egypt - Middle Kingdom (eg_middle_k) was in:
 (2016 BCE 1721 BCE) Upper Egypt
Home NGA: Upper Egypt

General Variables
Identity and Location Egypt - Middle Kingdom (eg_middle_k)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Utm Zone 36 R Expert 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Original Name Egypt - Middle Kingdom Expert 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Capital 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Capital 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Alternative Name 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Alternative Name 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Alternative Name 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Alternative Name 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Temporal Bounds Egypt - Middle Kingdom (eg_middle_k)
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Peak Years
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Duration
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Political and Cultural Relations Egypt - Middle Kingdom (eg_middle_k)
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Suprapolity Relations none Expert 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Succeeding Entity Egypt - Thebes-Hyksos Period Expert 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Succeeding Entity
1720 BCE 1567 BCE
Egypt - Thebes-Hyksos Period (eg_thebes_hyksos)   [None]  Expert
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Preceding Entity
2150 BCE 2016 BCE
Egypt - Period of the Regions (eg_regions)   [None]  Expert
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Degree of Centralization unitary state Expert 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Language Egypt - Middle Kingdom (eg_middle_k)
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Linguistic Family Afro-Asiatic Expert 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Language Ancient Egyptian Expert 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Religion Egypt - Middle Kingdom (eg_middle_k)
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Social Complexity Variables
Social Scale Egypt - Middle Kingdom (eg_middle_k)
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Population of the Largest Settlement 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Polity Territory 2,000 BCE
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Polity Territory 1,900 BCE
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Polity Territory 1,800 BCE
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Polity Population 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Hierarchical Complexity Egypt - Middle Kingdom (eg_middle_k)
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Settlement Hierarchy 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Religious Level 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Military Level 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Administrative Level 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Professions Egypt - Middle Kingdom (eg_middle_k)
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Professional Soldier 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Professional Priesthood 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Professional Military Officer 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Bureaucracy Characteristics Egypt - Middle Kingdom (eg_middle_k)
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Specialized Government Building Unknown Suspected 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Merit Promotion Unknown Suspected 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Full Time Bureaucrat Present 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Examination System Absent Inferred 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Law Egypt - Middle Kingdom (eg_middle_k)
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Professional Lawyer 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Judge 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Court 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Specialized Buildings: polity owned Egypt - Middle Kingdom (eg_middle_k)
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Market 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Irrigation System 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Food Storage Site 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Drinking Water Supply System 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Transport Infrastructure Egypt - Middle Kingdom (eg_middle_k)
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Road 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Port 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Canal 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Bridge 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Special-purpose Sites Egypt - Middle Kingdom (eg_middle_k)
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Mines or Quarry Present 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Information / Writing System Egypt - Middle Kingdom (eg_middle_k)
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Written Record Present 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Script Present 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Phonetic Alphabetic Writing 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Nonwritten Record Present 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Non Phonetic Writing 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Mnemonic Device Unknown Suspected 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Information / Kinds of Written Documents Egypt - Middle Kingdom (eg_middle_k)
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Scientific Literature 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Sacred Text Present 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Religious Literature 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Practical Literature 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Philosophy 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Lists Tables and Classification Present 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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History 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Fiction 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Calendar Present 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Information / Money Egypt - Middle Kingdom (eg_middle_k)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Token Unknown Suspected 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Precious Metal Present Inferred 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Paper Currency Absent 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Indigenous Coin Absent 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Foreign Coin Absent 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Article 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Information / Postal System Egypt - Middle Kingdom (eg_middle_k)
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Postal Station Absent 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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General Postal Service Absent 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Courier 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Information / Measurement System Egypt - Middle Kingdom (eg_middle_k)
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Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)
Fortifications Egypt - Middle Kingdom (eg_middle_k)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Wooden Palisade 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Stone Walls Non Mortared 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Stone Walls Mortared 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Settlements in a Defensive Position 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Modern Fortification 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Moat 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Fortified Camp 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Earth Rampart 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Ditch 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Complex Fortification 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Long Wall absent 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Military use of Metals Egypt - Middle Kingdom (eg_middle_k)
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Steel Absent 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Iron Absent 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Copper 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Bronze 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Projectiles Egypt - Middle Kingdom (eg_middle_k)
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Tension Siege Engine 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Sling Siege Engine 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Sling 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Self Bow 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Javelin 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Javelin 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Handheld Firearm 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Gunpowder Siege Artillery 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Crossbow 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Composite Bow 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Atlatl 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Handheld weapons Egypt - Middle Kingdom (eg_middle_k)
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War Club 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Sword 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Spear 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Polearm 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Dagger 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Battle Axe 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Animals used in warfare Egypt - Middle Kingdom (eg_middle_k)
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Horse 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Donkey 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Dog Unknown Suspected 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Camel 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Armor Egypt - Middle Kingdom (eg_middle_k)
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Wood Bark Etc 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Shield 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Scaled Armor 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Plate Armor 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Limb Protection 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Leather Cloth 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Laminar Armor 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Helmet 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Chainmail 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Breastplate 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Naval technology Egypt - Middle Kingdom (eg_middle_k)
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Specialized Military Vessel 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Small Vessels Canoes Etc 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service Unknown Suspected 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Economy Variables (Luxury Goods)
Religion Variables
Moralizing Supernatural Punishment and Reward Egypt - Middle Kingdom (eg_middle_k)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Moralizing Enforcement is Broad 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Moralizing Supernatural Concern is Primary 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Agentic 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement in This Life 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Moralizing Supernatural Punishment And Reward 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Commoners 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Targeted 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement in Afterlife 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Elites 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement of Rulers 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Certain 2016 BCE  1700 BCE
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Human Sacrifice Egypt - Middle Kingdom (eg_middle_k)
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Instability Data
Power Transitions