Home Region: Mexico (North America)

Middle Formative Basin of Mexico

800 BCE 401 BCE

D G SC WF R

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

1 Utm Zone

1 Original Name

3 Alternative Name

Temporal Bounds

1 Peak Years

1 Duration

Political and Cultural Relations

2 Suprapolity Relations

1 Supracultural Entity

1 Succeeding Entity

1 Scale of Supracultural Interaction

2 Relationship to preceding Entity

2 Polity Succession

1 Degree of Centralization

Language

1 Linguistic Family

1 Language Genus

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 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 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 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 Settlements in a Defensive Position

1 Long Wall

Military use of Metals

1 Steel

1 Iron

1 Copper

1 Bronze

Projectiles

1 Sling

1 Self Bow

1 Javelin

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 Shield

1 Limb Protection

1 Leather Cloth

1 Helmet

1 Breastplate

Naval technology

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	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 / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Utm Zone	14 Q Expert	800 BCE 401 BCE
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Original Name	Middle Formative Basin of Mexico Expert	800 BCE 401 BCE
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Alternative Name	Zacateco Expert	800 BCE 401 BCE
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Alternative Name	La Pastora Expert	800 BCE 401 BCE
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Alternative Name	Guatepec Expert	800 BCE 401 BCE
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Temporal Bounds Middle Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_4)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More
Peak Years	650 BCE Expert
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Duration	[800 BCE ➜ 401 BCE] Expert
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Political and Cultural Relations Middle Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_4)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Suprapolity Relations	unknown [---] Expert	800 BCE 401 BCE
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Suprapolity Relations	alliance with [---] 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 Expert	800 BCE 401 BCE
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Scale of Supracultural Interaction	40,000 km² Expert	800 BCE 401 BCE
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Relationship to Preceding Entity	cultural assimilation Expert	800 BCE 401 BCE
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Relationship to Preceding Entity	population migration Expert	800 BCE 401 BCE
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Succeeding Entity 400 BCE 101 BCE	Late Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_5) [continuity] Expert
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Preceding Entity 1200 BCE 801 BCE	Early Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_3) [population replacement] Expert
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Degree of Centralization	quasi-polity Expert	800 BCE 401 BCE
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Language Middle Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_4)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Linguistic Family	Proto-Otomanguean 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 / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale Middle Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_4)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Population of the Largest Settlement	[3,000 to 5,000] people	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 / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Settlement Hierarchy	[2 to 3]	800 BCE 401 BCE
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Religious Level	1	800 BCE 401 BCE
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Administrative Level	[1 to 2]	800 BCE 401 BCE
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Professions Middle Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_4)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
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 / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
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 / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Lawyer	Absent Inferred	800 BCE 401 BCE
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Judge	Absent Inferred	800 BCE 401 BCE
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Formal Legal Code	Absent Inferred	800 BCE 401 BCE
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Court	Absent	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 / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Market	Absent Inferred	800 BCE 401 BCE
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Irrigation System	Present	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 / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
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 / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
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 / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Written Record	Absent	800 BCE 401 BCE
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Script	Absent	800 BCE 401 BCE
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Phonetic Alphabetic Writing	Absent	800 BCE 401 BCE
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Nonwritten Record	Present	800 BCE 401 BCE
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Mnemonic Device	Present	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 / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Scientific Literature	Absent	800 BCE 401 BCE
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Sacred Text	Absent	800 BCE 401 BCE
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Religious Literature	Absent	800 BCE 401 BCE
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Practical Literature	Absent	800 BCE 401 BCE
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Philosophy	Absent	800 BCE 401 BCE
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Lists Tables and Classification	Absent	800 BCE 401 BCE
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History	Absent	800 BCE 401 BCE
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Fiction	Absent	800 BCE 401 BCE
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Calendar	Absent	800 BCE 401 BCE
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Information / Money Middle Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_4)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Precious Metal	Absent	800 BCE 401 BCE
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Paper Currency	Absent	800 BCE 401 BCE
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Indigenous Coin	Absent	800 BCE 401 BCE
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Foreign Coin	Absent	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 / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Postal Station	Absent	800 BCE 401 BCE
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General Postal Service	Absent	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 / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications Middle Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_4)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Settlements in a Defensive Position	Present	800 BCE 401 BCE
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Long Wall	absent	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 / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Steel	Absent	800 BCE 401 BCE
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Iron	Absent	800 BCE 401 BCE
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Copper	Absent	800 BCE 401 BCE
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Bronze	Absent	800 BCE 401 BCE
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Projectiles Middle Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_4)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
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 / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
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	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 / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Horse	Absent	800 BCE 401 BCE
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Elephant	Absent	800 BCE 401 BCE
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Donkey	Absent	800 BCE 401 BCE
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Dog	Absent	800 BCE 401 BCE
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Camel	Absent	800 BCE 401 BCE
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Armor Middle Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_4)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
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 / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
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 / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Moralizing Enforcement is Broad	Unknown	800 BCE 401 BCE
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Moralizing Supernatural Concern is Primary	Unknown	800 BCE 401 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Agentic	Unknown	800 BCE 401 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement in This Life	Unknown	800 BCE 401 BCE
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Moralizing Supernatural Punishment And Reward	Unknown	800 BCE 401 BCE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Commoners	Unknown	800 BCE 401 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Targeted	Unknown	800 BCE 401 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement in Afterlife	Unknown	800 BCE 401 BCE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Elites	Unknown	800 BCE 401 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement of Rulers	Unknown	800 BCE 401 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Certain	Unknown	800 BCE 401 BCE
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Human Sacrifice Middle Formative Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_4)

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