Home Region: Mexico (North America)

Monte Alban Late I

300 BCE 100 BCE

D G SC WF R

EQ 2020 mx_monte_alban_1_late / MxAlb1L

Preceding Entity: Add one more here.

500 BCE 300 BCE Early Monte Alban I (mx_monte_alban_1_early) [continuity]

Succeeding Entity: Add one more here.

100 BCE 200 CE Monte Alban II (mx_monte_alban_2) [continuity]

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General Description

The Monte Albán Late I period ran from 300 to 100 BCE. Archaeologists Charles Spencer and Elsa Redmond argue that the Zapotecs had formed a state by the beginning of this period (around 300 BCE). ^[1] The Zapotec polity based at Monte Albán started to expand to areas outside the valley at the beginning of this period, but could not yet control all areas within the Valley of Oaxaca. ^[2] It is thought that the unification of the whole valley by the Zapotec state did not occur until the following period (Monte Albán II). ^[1]
Population and political organization
There is evidence of an elite during this period. However, the nature of government is still unclear, as is the relationship between elites and non-elites. ^[3] Richard Blanton et al. summarize the situation: ’Obviously, powerful authorities at Monte Albán could collect taxes, wage wars, engage in diplomacy, erect carved stone monuments, construct public buildings, manage urban problems, appropriate surpluses from producer households, and adjudicate disputes. But who were these authorities and how did they come to positions of power? Were there rulers or a governing council?’ ^[3]
Violent conflicts were rife, and one third of the population of the valley eventually moved to fortified or defensible settlements by the end of Monte Albán I (including Monte Albán itself, which had a three-kilometre defensive wall and was built on a defensible hill top). ^[4] The danzantes, or carved images of captives, date to the first Monte Albán phases (MA Early-Late I) and may be linked with the expansionist policies and propaganda of Zapotec leaders. It is also worth noting that the richest burials date to this period and, like the danzantes, may be linked with an expression and justification of power by Zapotec elites. ^[5]
The population of the Zapotec polity grew during this period, particularly at Monte Albán, which housed around 17,000 people, and many new settlements were established within a roughly 30-kilometre radius of Monte Albán. ^[6] This was part of a general trend of population nucleation during this period, particularly to sites with civic-ceremonial functions. ^[7] The entire population of the Valley of Oaxaca during the Monte Albán IC phase has been estimated at around 50,000, ^[8] although it is not clear whether the entire valley was under Zapotec control at this time. ^[9]

[1]: (Spencer and Redmond 2004, 176) Charles S. Spencer and Elsa M. Redmond. 2004. ’Primary State Formation in Mesoamerica’. Annual Review of Anthropology 33: 173-99.

[2]: (Redmond and Spencer 2013, E1707-15) Elsa M. Redmond and Charles S. Spencer. 2013. ’Early (300-100 BC) Temple Precinct in the Valley of Oaxaca, Mexico’. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 110 (19): E1707-15.

[3]: (Blanton et al. 1999, 127-28) Richard E. Blanton, Gary M. Feinman, Stephen A. Kowalewski and Linda M. Nicholas. 1999. Ancient Oaxaca. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

[4]: (Marcus and Flannery 1996, 150) Joyce Marcus and Kent V. Flannery. 1996. Zapotec Civilization: How Urban Society Evolved in Mexico’s Oaxaca Valley. London: Thames and Hudson.

[5]: (Flannery and Marcus 1983, 90) Joyce Marcus and Kent V. Flannery. 1983. ’The Earliest Public Buildings, Tombs, and Monuments at Monte Albán, with Notes on the Internal Chronology of Period I’, in The Cloud People: Divergent Evolution of the Zapotec and Mixtec Civilizations, edited by Joyce Marcus and Kent V. Flannery, 87-91. New York: Academic Press.

[6]: (Marcus and Flannery 1996, 139, 145) Joyce Marcus and Kent V. Flannery. 1996. Zapotec Civilization: How Urban Society Evolved in Mexico’s Oaxaca Valley. London: Thames and Hudson.

[7]: (Feinman et al. 1985, 349) Gary M. Feinman, Stephen A. Kowalewski, Laura Finsten, Richard E. Blanton and Linda Nicholas. 1985. ’Long-Term Demographic Change: A Perspective from the Valley of Oaxaca, Mexico’. Journal of Field Archaeology 12 (3): 333-62.

[8]: (Marcus and Flannery 1996, 144-45) Joyce Marcus and Kent V. Flannery. 1996. Zapotec Civilization: How Urban Society Evolved in Mexico’s Oaxaca Valley. London: Thames and Hudson.

[9]: (Marcus and Flannery 1996, 162) Joyce Marcus and Kent V. Flannery. 1996. Zapotec Civilization: How Urban Society Evolved in Mexico’s Oaxaca Valley. London: Thames and Hudson.

General Variables

Identity and Location

1 Utm Zone

1 Original Name

1 Capital

3 Alternative Name

Temporal Bounds

1 Peak Years

1 Duration

Political and Cultural Relations

1 Suprapolity Relations

1 Succeeding Entity

1 Relationship to preceding Entity

2 Polity Succession

2 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

1 Mnemonic Device

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 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	Monte Alban Late I (mx_monte_alban_1_late) was in:
(300 BCE 101 BCE)	Valley of Oaxaca

Home NGA: Valley of Oaxaca

General Variables

Identity and Location Monte Alban Late I (mx_monte_alban_1_late)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Utm Zone	14 Q	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Original Name	Monte Alban Late I	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Capital	Monte Albán	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Alternative Name	Monte Albán	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Alternative Name	Late Preclassic	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Alternative Name	Late Formative	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Temporal Bounds Monte Alban Late I (mx_monte_alban_1_late)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More
Peak Years	100 BCE
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Duration	[300 BCE ➜ 100 BCE]
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Political and Cultural Relations Monte Alban Late I (mx_monte_alban_1_late)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Suprapolity Relations	alliance with [---]	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Succeeding Entity	MxAlb2*	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Relationship to Preceding Entity	continuity	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Succeeding Entity 100 BCE 200 CE	Monte Alban II (mx_monte_alban_2) [continuity]
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Preceding Entity 500 BCE 300 BCE	Early Monte Alban I (mx_monte_alban_1_early) [continuity]
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Degree of Centralization	unitary state	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Degree of Centralization	confederated state	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Language Monte Alban Late I (mx_monte_alban_1_late)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Linguistic Family	Otomanguean	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Language	Zapotec	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Religion Monte Alban Late I (mx_monte_alban_1_late)

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

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale Monte Alban Late I (mx_monte_alban_1_late)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Population of the Largest Settlement	17,200 people	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Polity Territory	5,000 km²	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Polity Population	[50,000 to 60,000] people	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Hierarchical Complexity Monte Alban Late I (mx_monte_alban_1_late)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Settlement Hierarchy	4	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Religious Level	1	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Military Level	[1 to 2]	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Administrative Level	- Suspected	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Professions Monte Alban Late I (mx_monte_alban_1_late)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Soldier	Present	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Professional Priesthood	Present	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Professional Military Officer	Present	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Bureaucracy Characteristics Monte Alban Late I (mx_monte_alban_1_late)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Government Building	Absent	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Merit Promotion	Unknown Suspected	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Full Time Bureaucrat	Unknown Suspected	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Examination System	Unknown Suspected	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Law Monte Alban Late I (mx_monte_alban_1_late)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Lawyer	Absent	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Judge	Absent	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Formal Legal Code	Absent	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Court	Absent	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Specialized Buildings: polity owned Monte Alban Late I (mx_monte_alban_1_late)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Market	Present Inferred	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Irrigation System	Present	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Food Storage Site	Absent	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Drinking Water Supply System	Present	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Transport Infrastructure Monte Alban Late I (mx_monte_alban_1_late)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Road	Absent	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Port	Absent	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Canal	Absent	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Bridge	Absent	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Special-purpose Sites Monte Alban Late I (mx_monte_alban_1_late)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Mines or Quarry	Absent	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Information / Writing System Monte Alban Late I (mx_monte_alban_1_late)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Written Record	Present	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Script	Present	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Phonetic Alphabetic Writing	Absent	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Nonwritten Record	Unknown Suspected	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Non Phonetic Writing	Present	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Mnemonic Device	Absent	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Information / Kinds of Written Documents Monte Alban Late I (mx_monte_alban_1_late)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Scientific Literature	Absent	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Sacred Text	Absent	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Religious Literature	Absent	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Practical Literature	Absent	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Philosophy	Absent	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Lists Tables and Classification	Absent	300 BCE 100 BCE
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History	Absent	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Fiction	Absent	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Calendar	Present	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Information / Money Monte Alban Late I (mx_monte_alban_1_late)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Token	Unknown Suspected	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Precious Metal	Absent	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Paper Currency	Absent	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Indigenous Coin	Absent	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Foreign Coin	Absent	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Article	Unknown Suspected	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Information / Postal System Monte Alban Late I (mx_monte_alban_1_late)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Postal Station	Absent	300 BCE 100 BCE
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General Postal Service	Absent	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Courier	Absent	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Information / Measurement System Monte Alban Late I (mx_monte_alban_1_late)

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

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications Monte Alban Late I (mx_monte_alban_1_late)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wooden Palisade	Unknown Suspected	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Stone Walls Non Mortared	Present	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Stone Walls Mortared	Absent	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Settlements in a Defensive Position	Present	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Modern Fortification	Absent	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Moat	Absent Inferred	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Fortified Camp	Unknown Suspected	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Earth Rampart	Present	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Ditch	Absent Inferred	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Complex Fortification	Absent	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Long Wall	unknown Suspected	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Military use of Metals Monte Alban Late I (mx_monte_alban_1_late)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Steel	Absent	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Iron	Absent	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Copper	Absent	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Bronze	Absent	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Projectiles Monte Alban Late I (mx_monte_alban_1_late)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Tension Siege Engine	Absent	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Sling Siege Engine	Absent	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Sling	Unknown Suspected	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Self Bow	Unknown Suspected	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Javelin	Unknown Suspected	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Handheld Firearm	Absent	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Gunpowder Siege Artillery	Absent	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Crossbow	Absent	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Composite Bow	Unknown Suspected	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Atlatl	Present	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Handheld weapons Monte Alban Late I (mx_monte_alban_1_late)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
War Club	Unknown Suspected	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Sword	Present	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Spear	Present Inferred	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Polearm	Unknown Suspected	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Dagger	Present	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Battle Axe	Unknown Suspected	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Animals used in warfare Monte Alban Late I (mx_monte_alban_1_late)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Horse	Absent	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Elephant	Absent	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Donkey	Absent	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Dog	Absent	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Camel	Absent	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Armor Monte Alban Late I (mx_monte_alban_1_late)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wood Bark Etc	Unknown Suspected	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Shield	Unknown Suspected	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Scaled Armor	Absent	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Plate Armor	Absent	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Limb Protection	Unknown Suspected	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Leather Cloth	Unknown Suspected	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Laminar Armor	Absent	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Helmet	Unknown Suspected	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Chainmail	Absent	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Breastplate	Unknown Suspected	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Naval technology Monte Alban Late I (mx_monte_alban_1_late)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Military Vessel	Absent	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Small Vessels Canoes Etc	Absent	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service	Absent	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Economy Variables (Luxury Goods)

Religion Variables

Moralizing Supernatural Punishment and Reward Monte Alban Late I (mx_monte_alban_1_late)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Moralizing Enforcement is Broad	Absent Inferred	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Moralizing Supernatural Concern is Primary	Absent Inferred	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Agentic	Absent Inferred	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement in This Life	Absent Inferred	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Moralizing Supernatural Punishment And Reward	Absent	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Commoners	Absent Inferred	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Targeted	Absent Inferred	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement in Afterlife	Absent Inferred	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Elites	Absent	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Elites	Absent Inferred	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement of Rulers	Absent Inferred	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Certain	Absent Inferred	300 BCE 100 BCE
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Human Sacrifice Monte Alban Late I (mx_monte_alban_1_late)

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