Home Region: Southeastern Europe (Europe)

Neolithic Crete

7000 BCE 3000 BCE

D G SC WF R

EQ 2020 gr_crete_nl / GrCrNeo

Preceding Entity: Add one more here.

[continuity/discontinuity; Mesolithic Crete] [None] Update here

Succeeding Entity: Add one more here.

3000 BCE 1900 BCE Prepalatial Crete (gr_crete_pre_palace) [continuity]

General Description

The Cretan Neolithic period spans the four millennia between around 7000 and 3000 BCE. ^[1] ^[2] Until archaeological work in 2008‒2009 unearthed evidence for hominin occupation on the island as early as 130,000 years ago (in the Lower Palaeolithic), it was believed that the Neolithic farmers whose settlements appear from c. 7000 BCE were the first people to colonize Crete. ^[3] Nevertheless, one recent genetic study suggests that the Neolithic Cretan population was composed chiefly of newcomers rather than descendants of the island’s Mesolithic inhabitants. ^[4] They likely sailed from southwestern Asia, ^[4] bringing a characteristic agricultural package of cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, bread wheat and other domesticated food plants. ^[5]

[1]: (Tomkins 2007) Tomkins, P. 2007. "Neolithic: Strata IX-VIII, VII-VIB, VIA-V, IV, IIIB, IIIA, IIA and IC Groups." In Knossos Pottery Handbook: Neolithic and Bronze Age (Minoan), edited by N. Momigliano, 9-39. British School at Athens Studies 14. London: British School at Athens. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/SRWVHUTT.

[2]: (Tomkins 2008) Tomkins, Peter D. 2008. "Time, Space and the Reinvention of the Cretan Neolithic." In Escaping the Labyrinth: The Cretan Neolithic in Context, edited by Valasia Isaakidou and Peter D. Tomkins, 21-49. Oxford: Oxbow Books. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/P6XBRAKC.

[3]: (Strasser et al. 2010, 145-46) Strasser, Thomas F., Eleni Panagopoulou, Curtis N. Runnels, Priscilla M. Murray, Nicholas Thompson, Panayiotis Karkanas, Floyd W. McCoy, and Karl W. Wegmann. 2010. "Stone Age Seafaring in the Mediterranean: Evidence from the Plakias Region for Lower Palaeolithic and Mesolithic Habitation of Crete." Hesperia 79 (2): 145-90. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/VR7DEQG3.

[4]: (Fernández et al. 2014) Fernández, Eva, Alejandro Pérez-Pérez, Cristina Gamba, Eva Prats, Pedro Cuesta, Josep Anfruns, Miquel Molist, Eduardo Arroyo-Pardo, and Daniel Turbón. 2014. "Ancient DNA Analysis of 8000 B.C. Near Eastern Farmers Supports an Early Neolithic Pioneer Maritime Colonization of Mainland Europe through Cyprus and the Aegean Islands." PLoS Genetics 10 (6): e1004401. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/9TJ7CEP6.

[5]: (Broodbank and Strasser 1991, 236) Broodbank, Cyprian, and Thomas F. Strasser. 1991. "Migrant Farmers and the Neolithic Colonization of Crete." Antiquity 65 (247): 233-45. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/RVNBC48R.

General Variables

Identity and Location

1 Utm Zone

1 Original Name

1 Capital

Temporal Bounds

1 Peak Years

1 Duration

Political and Cultural Relations

1 Succeeding Entity

1 Relationship to preceding Entity

2 Polity Succession

1 Degree of Centralization

Language

1 Linguistic Family

Religion

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale

4 Population of the Largest Settlement

Hierarchical Complexity

1 Settlement Hierarchy

1 Religious 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 Food Storage Site

Transport Infrastructure

1 Road

1 Port

1 Canal

Special-purpose Sites

Information / Writing System

1 Written Record

1 Script

1 Phonetic Alphabetic 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

Information / Postal System

1 Postal Station

1 General Postal Service

1 Courier

Information / Measurement System

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications

1 Stone Walls Non Mortared

1 Stone Walls Mortared

1 Settlements in a Defensive Position

1 Modern Fortification

1 Moat

1 Fortified Camp

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 Handheld Firearm

1 Gunpowder Siege Artillery

1 Crossbow

1 Composite Bow

1 Atlatl

Handheld weapons

1 War Club

1 Spear

1 Polearm

Animals used in warfare

1 Horse

1 Elephant

1 Dog

1 Camel

Armor

1 Wood Bark Etc

1 Shield

1 Scaled Armor

1 Plate Armor

1 Limb Protection

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	Neolithic Crete (gr_crete_nl) was in:
(7000 BCE 3001 BCE)	Crete

Home NGA: Crete

General Variables

Identity and Location Neolithic Crete (gr_crete_nl)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Utm Zone	35 S	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Original Name	Neolithic Crete	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Capital	None (Absent Capital)	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Temporal Bounds Neolithic Crete (gr_crete_nl)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More
Peak Years	[4500 BCE ➜ 3000 BCE]
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Duration	[7000 BCE ➜ 3000 BCE]
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Political and Cultural Relations Neolithic Crete (gr_crete_nl)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Succeeding Entity	Prepalatial Crete	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Relationship to Preceding Entity	population replacement	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Succeeding Entity 3000 BCE 1900 BCE	Prepalatial Crete (gr_crete_pre_palace) [continuity]
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Preceding Entity	continuity/discontinuity; Mesolithic Crete [None] Update here
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Degree of Centralization	quasi-polity	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Language Neolithic Crete (gr_crete_nl)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Linguistic Family	NO_VALUE_ON_WIKI	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Religion Neolithic Crete (gr_crete_nl)

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

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale Neolithic Crete (gr_crete_nl)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Population of the Largest Settlement	[35 to 70] people	7000 BCE 5900 BCE
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Population of the Largest Settlement	[105 to 160] people	5899 BCE 5300 BCE
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Population of the Largest Settlement	[210 to 350] people	5299 BCE 4900 BCE
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Population of the Largest Settlement	[263 to 500] people	4899 BCE 3000 BCE
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Hierarchical Complexity Neolithic Crete (gr_crete_nl)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Settlement Hierarchy	[1 to 2]	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Religious Level	1	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Administrative Level	1	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Professions Neolithic Crete (gr_crete_nl)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Soldier	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Professional Priesthood	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Professional Military Officer	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Bureaucracy Characteristics Neolithic Crete (gr_crete_nl)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Government Building	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Merit Promotion	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Full Time Bureaucrat	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Examination System	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Law Neolithic Crete (gr_crete_nl)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Lawyer	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Judge	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Formal Legal Code	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Court	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Specialized Buildings: polity owned Neolithic Crete (gr_crete_nl)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Market	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Food Storage Site	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Transport Infrastructure Neolithic Crete (gr_crete_nl)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Road	Unknown Suspected	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Port	Present	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Canal	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Special-purpose Sites Neolithic Crete (gr_crete_nl)

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

Information / Writing System Neolithic Crete (gr_crete_nl)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Written Record	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Script	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Phonetic Alphabetic Writing	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Information / Kinds of Written Documents Neolithic Crete (gr_crete_nl)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Scientific Literature	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Sacred Text	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Religious Literature	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Practical Literature	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Philosophy	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Lists Tables and Classification	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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History	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Fiction	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Calendar	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Information / Money Neolithic Crete (gr_crete_nl)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Paper Currency	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Indigenous Coin	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Foreign Coin	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Information / Postal System Neolithic Crete (gr_crete_nl)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Postal Station	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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General Postal Service	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Courier	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Information / Measurement System Neolithic Crete (gr_crete_nl)

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

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications Neolithic Crete (gr_crete_nl)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Stone Walls Non Mortared	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Stone Walls Mortared	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Settlements in a Defensive Position	Present	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Modern Fortification	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Moat	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Fortified Camp	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Complex Fortification	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Long Wall	absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Military use of Metals Neolithic Crete (gr_crete_nl)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Steel	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Iron	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Copper	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Bronze	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Projectiles Neolithic Crete (gr_crete_nl)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Tension Siege Engine	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Sling Siege Engine	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Sling	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Handheld Firearm	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Gunpowder Siege Artillery	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Crossbow	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Composite Bow	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Atlatl	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Handheld weapons Neolithic Crete (gr_crete_nl)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
War Club	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Spear	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Polearm	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Animals used in warfare Neolithic Crete (gr_crete_nl)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Horse	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Elephant	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Dog	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Camel	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Armor Neolithic Crete (gr_crete_nl)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wood Bark Etc	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Shield	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Scaled Armor	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Plate Armor	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Limb Protection	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Laminar Armor	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Helmet	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Chainmail	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Breastplate	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Naval technology Neolithic Crete (gr_crete_nl)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Military Vessel	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Small Vessels Canoes Etc	Unknown Suspected	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service	Absent	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Economy Variables (Luxury Goods)

Religion Variables

Moralizing Supernatural Punishment and Reward Neolithic Crete (gr_crete_nl)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Moralizing Enforcement is Broad	Unknown	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Moralizing Supernatural Concern is Primary	Unknown	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Agentic	Unknown	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement in This Life	Unknown	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Moralizing Supernatural Punishment And Reward	Unknown	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Commoners	Unknown	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Targeted	Unknown	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement in Afterlife	Unknown	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Elites	Unknown	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement of Rulers	Unknown	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Certain	Unknown	7000 BCE 3000 BCE
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Human Sacrifice Neolithic Crete (gr_crete_nl)

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