Home Region:  Mexico (North America)

Middle Formative Basin of Mexico

800 BCE 401 BCE
D G SC WF RG EQ 2020  mx_basin_of_mexico_4 / MxFormM
Preceding Entity: Add one more here.
1200 BCE 801 BCE Early Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_3)    [population replacement]

Succeeding Entity: Add one more here.
400 BCE 101 BCE Late Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_5)    [continuity]


  General Description   The Basin or Valley of Mexico is a highlands plateau in central Mexico roughly corresponding to modern-day Mexico City. Here, we are interested in the phase of its prehistory known as the Middle Formative period (c. 800-401 BCE). This period was characterised by increasingly widespread and elaborate public architecture, more distinctive regional pottery styles, more extensive greenstone trade, and an increased use of stone for symbolic expression. Together, these trends suggest that elites across Mesoamerica were broadening the ways they expressed their power, and shaping the emergence of new forms of regional and community interactions in the process. [1]
Sanders et al. (1979) tentatively estimated that there were approximately 25,000 people in the Basin of Mexico around 650 BC. [2] However, no estimates could be found for the population of the average autonomous political unit. The largest known settlement, Chalcatzingo, may have had a population of between 3,000 and 5,000. [3]
Settlement hierarchies either maintained or increased the number of levels. [1]

[1]: (Pool 2012: 181) Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/KISGMGK6.

[2]: Sanders, William T., Jeffrey R. Parsons, and Robert S. Santley. (1979) The Basin of Mexico: Ecological Processes in the Evolution of a Civilization. Academic Press, New York, pg. 183.

[3]: (Carballo 2019: pers. comm. to G. Nazzaro and E. Cioni)

General Variables
Identity and Location
Temporal Bounds
Political and Cultural Relations
Language
Religion
Social Complexity Variables
Social Scale
Hierarchical Complexity
Professions
Bureaucracy Characteristics
Law
Specialized Buildings: polity owned
Transport Infrastructure
Special-purpose Sites
Information / Writing System
Information / Kinds of Written Documents
Information / Money
Information / Postal System
Information / Measurement System
Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)
Fortifications
Military use of Metals
Projectiles
Handheld weapons
Animals used in warfare
Armor
Naval technology
Economy Variables (Luxury Goods) Coding in Progress.
Religion Variables Coding in Progress.
Crisis Consequences Coding in Progress.
Power Transitions Coding in Progress.

NGA Settlements:

Year Range Middle Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_4) was in:
 (800 BCE 401 BCE)   Basin of Mexico
Home NGA: Basin of Mexico
General Variables
Identity and Location Middle Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_4)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Utm Zone 14 Q Confident Expert 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Original Name Middle Formative Basin of Mexico Confident Expert 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Alternative Name Zacateco Confident Expert 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Alternative Name La Pastora Confident Expert 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Alternative Name Guatepec Confident Expert 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Temporal Bounds Middle Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_4)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Peak Years 650 BCE Confident Expert
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Duration [800 BCE ➜ 401 BCE] Confident Expert
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Political and Cultural Relations Middle Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_4)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Suprapolity Relations unknown [---] Confident Expert 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Suprapolity Relations alliance with [---] Confident Expert 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Supracultural Entity uncoded Undecided Expert 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Succeeding Entity MxCuicu Confident Expert 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Scale of Supracultural Interaction 40,000 km2 Confident Expert 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Relationship to Preceding Entity cultural assimilation Confident Expert 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Relationship to Preceding Entity population migration Confident Expert 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Preceding Entity
1200 BCE 801 BCE
Early Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_3)   [population replacement]  Confident Expert
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Succeeding Entity
400 BCE 101 BCE
Late Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_5)   [continuity]  Confident Expert
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Degree of Centralization quasi-polity Confident Expert 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Language Middle Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_4)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Linguistic Family Proto-Otomanguean Confident Expert 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Language Genus uncoded Undecided Expert 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Religion Middle Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_4)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Social Complexity Variables
Social Scale Middle Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_4)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Population of the Largest Settlement [3,000 to 5,000] people Confident 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Polity Territory - Suspected 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Polity Population - Suspected 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Hierarchical Complexity Middle Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_4)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Settlement Hierarchy [2 to 3] Confident 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Religious Level 1 Confident 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Administrative Level [1 to 2] Confident 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Professions Middle Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_4)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Professional Soldier Absent Inferred 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Professional Priesthood Absent Inferred 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Professional Military Officer Absent Inferred 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Bureaucracy Characteristics Middle Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_4)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Specialized Government Building Unknown Suspected 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Merit Promotion Unknown Suspected 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Full Time Bureaucrat Absent Inferred 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Examination System Unknown Suspected 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Law Middle Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_4)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Professional Lawyer Absent Inferred 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Judge Absent Inferred 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Absent Inferred 800 BCE  401 BCE
Court Absent Confident 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Specialized Buildings: polity owned Middle Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_4)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Market Absent Inferred 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Irrigation System Present Confident 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Food Storage Site Absent Inferred 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Drinking Water Supply System Absent Inferred 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Transport Infrastructure Middle Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_4)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Road Unknown Suspected 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Port Absent Inferred 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Canal Absent Inferred 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Bridge Unknown Suspected 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Special-purpose Sites Middle Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_4)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Mines or Quarry Present Inferred 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Information / Writing System Middle Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_4)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Written Record Absent Confident 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Script Absent Confident 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Phonetic Alphabetic Writing Absent Confident 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Nonwritten Record Present Confident 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Mnemonic Device Present Confident 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Information / Kinds of Written Documents Middle Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_4)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Scientific Literature Absent Confident 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Sacred Text Absent Confident 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Religious Literature Absent Confident 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Practical Literature Absent Confident 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Philosophy Absent Confident 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Lists Tables and Classification Absent Confident 800 BCE  401 BCE
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History Absent Confident 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Fiction Absent Confident 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Calendar Absent Confident 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Information / Money Middle Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_4)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Precious Metal Absent Confident 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Paper Currency Absent Confident 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Indigenous Coin Absent Confident 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Foreign Coin Absent Confident 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Article Present Inferred 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Information / Postal System Middle Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_4)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Postal Station Absent Confident 800 BCE  401 BCE
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General Postal Service Absent Confident 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Courier Unknown Suspected 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Information / Measurement System Middle Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_4)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)
Fortifications Middle Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_4)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Settlements in a Defensive Position Present Confident 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Long Wall absent Confident 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Military use of Metals Middle Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_4)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Steel Absent Confident 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Iron Absent Confident 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Copper Absent Confident 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Bronze Absent Confident 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Projectiles Middle Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_4)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Sling Present Inferred 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Self Bow Absent Inferred 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Javelin Absent Inferred 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Atlatl Present Inferred 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Handheld weapons Middle Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_4)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
War Club Absent Inferred 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Sword Absent Inferred 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Spear Present Inferred 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Polearm Absent Inferred 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Dagger Present Confident 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Battle Axe Absent Inferred 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Animals used in warfare Middle Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_4)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Horse Absent Confident 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Elephant Absent Confident 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Donkey Absent Confident 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Dog Absent Confident 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Camel Absent Confident 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Armor Middle Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_4)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Shield Absent Inferred 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Limb Protection Absent Inferred 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Leather Cloth Absent Inferred 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Helmet Absent Inferred 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Breastplate Absent Inferred 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Naval technology Middle Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_4)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Small Vessels Canoes Etc Unknown Suspected 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Economy Variables (Luxury Goods)
Religion Variables
Moralizing Supernatural Punishment and Reward Middle Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_4)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Moralizing Enforcement is Broad Unknown Confident 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Moralizing Supernatural Concern is Primary Unknown Confident 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Agentic Unknown Confident 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement in This Life Unknown Confident 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Moralizing Supernatural Punishment And Reward Unknown Confident 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Commoners Unknown Confident 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Targeted Unknown Confident 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement in Afterlife Unknown Confident 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Elites Unknown Confident 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement of Rulers Unknown Confident 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Certain Unknown Confident 800 BCE  401 BCE
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Human Sacrifice Middle Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_4)
Variable Coded Value Tags Year(s) See More
Crisis Cases
View all Crisis Cases
Instability Data
Power Transitions
View all Power Transitions