Home Region: Southeastern Europe (Europe)

Geometric Crete

1000 BCE 710 BCE

D G SC WF R

EQ 2020 gr_crete_geometric / GrCrGeo

Preceding Entity: Add one more here.

[disruption/continuity; Mycenaean Crete] [None] Update here

Succeeding Entity: Add one more here.

710 BCE 500 BCE Archaic Crete (gr_crete_archaic) [continuity]

General Description

The eleventh century BCE marks the beginning of radical changes in southern Greece generally as well as Crete specifically, largely resulting from the invasion from the North of the Dorians ^[1] Overall, however, this period is relatively poorly understood, with no written sources and few archaeological finds. Most likely, Cretans mainly dedicated themselves to farming and pastoralism. Writing disappeared and artistic expression became more abstracted and geometrical. Things started to change in the eighth century, when trade routes were revitalized, and Cretans were able to capitalize on the island’s premier location in the Eastern Mediterranean. And the trade in artefacts and products was accompanied by the exchange of new ideas and technologies. ^[2]
Population and political organization
Not much is known about either the island’s population numbers at the time, or its political organization. In terms of population, very few settlements have been excavated, and none of these have yielded enough data for a credible estimate; in terms of political organization, it is likely that elite families were in charge but not much else could be said. ^[2]

[1]: (Whitley 1998, 27-39) J. Whitley. 1998. ’From Minoans to Eterocretans: the Praisos region 1200-500 BC,’ in Post-Minoan Crete: Proceedings of the First Colloquium on Post-Minoan Crete held by the British School at Athens and the Institute of Archaeology, University College London, 10-11 November 1995, edited by W.G. Cavanagh and M. Curtis, M. (eds), London: British School at Athens.

[2]: Kostis Christakis, pers. comm., May 2016

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 Supracultural Entity

1 Succeeding Entity

2 Polity Succession

1 Degree of Centralization

Language

1 Linguistic Family

2 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

Law

1 Professional Lawyer

Specialized Buildings: polity owned

1 Irrigation System

1 Drinking Water Supply System

Transport Infrastructure

1 Road

1 Port

1 Bridge

Special-purpose Sites

1 Mines or Quarry

Information / Writing System

1 Written Record

1 Script

1 Phonetic Alphabetic Writing

1 Nonwritten Record

Information / Kinds of Written Documents

1 Scientific Literature

1 Sacred Text

1 Religious Literature

1 Practical Literature

1 Philosophy

1 History

1 Fiction

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 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 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

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	Geometric Crete (gr_crete_geometric) was in:
(1000 BCE 711 BCE)	Crete

Home NGA: Crete

General Variables

Identity and Location Geometric Crete (gr_crete_geometric)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Utm Zone	35 S	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Original Name	Geometric Crete	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Capital	None (Absent Capital)	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Alternative Name	Doric Crete	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Alternative Name	Early Iron Age Crete	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Alternative Name	Geometric Crete	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Temporal Bounds Geometric Crete (gr_crete_geometric)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More
Peak Years	800 BCE
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Duration	[1000 BCE ➜ 710 BCE]
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Political and Cultural Relations Geometric Crete (gr_crete_geometric)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Suprapolity Relations	none	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Supracultural Entity	Early Iron Age Greece/Geometric Greece	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Succeeding Entity	Archaic Crete	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Succeeding Entity 710 BCE 500 BCE	Archaic Crete (gr_crete_archaic) [continuity]
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Preceding Entity	disruption/continuity; Mycenaean Crete [None] Update here
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Degree of Centralization	quasi-polity	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Language Geometric Crete (gr_crete_geometric)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Linguistic Family	Indo-European	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Language	Doric Greek	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Language	Eteocretan	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Religion Geometric Crete (gr_crete_geometric)

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

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale Geometric Crete (gr_crete_geometric)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Population of the Largest Settlement	6,000 people	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Polity Territory	- Suspected	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Polity Population	- Suspected	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Hierarchical Complexity Geometric Crete (gr_crete_geometric)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Settlement Hierarchy	[1 to 3]	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Religious Level	- Suspected	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Military Level	- Suspected	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Administrative Level	- Suspected	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Professions Geometric Crete (gr_crete_geometric)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Soldier	Unknown Suspected	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Professional Priesthood	Unknown Suspected	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Professional Military Officer	Unknown Suspected	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Bureaucracy Characteristics Geometric Crete (gr_crete_geometric)

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

Law Geometric Crete (gr_crete_geometric)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Lawyer	Absent	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Specialized Buildings: polity owned Geometric Crete (gr_crete_geometric)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Irrigation System	Present	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Drinking Water Supply System	Present	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Transport Infrastructure Geometric Crete (gr_crete_geometric)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Road	Present	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Port	Present	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Bridge	Present	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Special-purpose Sites Geometric Crete (gr_crete_geometric)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Mines or Quarry	Present	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Information / Writing System Geometric Crete (gr_crete_geometric)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Written Record	Present	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Script	Present	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Phonetic Alphabetic Writing	Present	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Nonwritten Record	Present	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Information / Kinds of Written Documents Geometric Crete (gr_crete_geometric)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Scientific Literature	Absent	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Sacred Text	Absent	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Religious Literature	Absent	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Practical Literature	Absent	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Philosophy	Absent	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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History	Absent	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Fiction	Absent	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Information / Money Geometric Crete (gr_crete_geometric)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Token	Present	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Precious Metal	Present	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Paper Currency	Absent	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Indigenous Coin	Absent	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Foreign Coin	Present	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Article	Present	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Information / Postal System Geometric Crete (gr_crete_geometric)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Postal Station	Absent	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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General Postal Service	Absent	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Courier	Absent	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Information / Measurement System Geometric Crete (gr_crete_geometric)

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

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications Geometric Crete (gr_crete_geometric)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wooden Palisade	Unknown Suspected	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Stone Walls Non Mortared	Present	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Stone Walls Mortared	Present	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Settlements in a Defensive Position	Present	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Modern Fortification	Absent	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Moat	Absent	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Earth Rampart	Unknown Suspected	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Ditch	Unknown Suspected	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Complex Fortification	Absent	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Long Wall	absent	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Military use of Metals Geometric Crete (gr_crete_geometric)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Steel	Absent	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Iron	Present	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Copper	Present	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Bronze	Present	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Projectiles Geometric Crete (gr_crete_geometric)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Tension Siege Engine	Absent	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Sling Siege Engine	Absent	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Sling	Absent	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Self Bow	Present	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Javelin	Present	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Handheld Firearm	Absent	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Gunpowder Siege Artillery	Absent	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Crossbow	Absent	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Composite Bow	Present	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Atlatl	Absent	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Handheld weapons Geometric Crete (gr_crete_geometric)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
War Club	Absent	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Sword	Present	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Spear	Present	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Polearm	Absent	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Dagger	Present	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Battle Axe	Absent	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Animals used in warfare Geometric Crete (gr_crete_geometric)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Horse	Present	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Elephant	Absent	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Donkey	Present	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Camel	Absent	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Armor Geometric Crete (gr_crete_geometric)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wood Bark Etc	Absent	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Shield	Present	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Scaled Armor	Absent	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Plate Armor	Absent	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Limb Protection	Present	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Leather Cloth	Present	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Laminar Armor	Absent	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Helmet	Present	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Chainmail	Absent	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Breastplate	Present	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Naval technology Geometric Crete (gr_crete_geometric)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Military Vessel	Present	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Small Vessels Canoes Etc	Present	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Economy Variables (Luxury Goods)

Religion Variables

Moralizing Supernatural Punishment and Reward Geometric Crete (gr_crete_geometric)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Moralizing Enforcement is Broad	Absent	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Moralizing Supernatural Concern is Primary	Absent	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Agentic	Present	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement in This Life	Present	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Moralizing Supernatural Punishment And Reward	Present	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Commoners	Present	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Targeted	Present	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement in Afterlife	Absent Inferred	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Elites	Present	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement of Rulers	Present	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Certain	Absent	1000 BCE 710 BCE
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Human Sacrifice Geometric Crete (gr_crete_geometric)

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