Social Complexity Variables   Download All (.CSV)  Inconsistent Year Ranges
We have coded a total of 26,087 different values for 77 variables in 618 polities.
This section of Seshat provides a detailed exploration of the diverse aspects that characterize past polities' societal structures and advancements. It includes data on infrastructure like roads, bridges, and irrigation systems; administrative and governance systems such as courts, bureaucracies, and legal codes; and cultural and intellectual achievements, including writing systems, scientific literature, and sacred texts. This section also captures economic activities, including markets, trade emporia, and currency systems, as well as population dynamics and territorial extents. By coding these variables systematically, this section helps researchers analyze the development, complexity, and functionality of historical societies, offering a comprehensive view of how polities managed resources, facilitated communication, and maintained social order.
Range Present Partially coded Transitional Absent Suspected Unknown Unknown Uncoded To Be Coded

Social Scale

  Download Social Scale (.csv)
Polity Territory RANGE   
 606 coded records
Polity Population RANGE   
 579 coded records
Population Of The Largest Settlement RANGE   
 582 coded records
Largest Communication Distance RANGE   
 73 coded records

Hierarchical Complexity

  Download Hierarchical Complexity (.csv)
Settlement Hierarchy RANGE   
 563 coded records
Administrative Level RANGE   
 570 coded records
Religious Level RANGE   
 446 coded records
Military Level RANGE   
 448 coded records

Professions

  Download Professions (.csv)
Professional Military Officer A/P/U/~   
 474 coded records
Professional Soldier A/P/U/~   
 501 coded records
Professional Priesthood A/P/U/~   
 464 coded records
Source Of Support TEXT   
 108 coded records
Occupational Complexity A/P/U/~   
 75 coded records

Bureaucracy Characteristics

  Download Bureaucracy Characteristics (.csv)
Full Time Bureaucrat A/P/U/~   
 494 coded records
Examination System A/P/U/~   
 385 coded records
Merit Promotion A/P/U/~   
 399 coded records
Specialized Government Building A/P/U/~   
 479 coded records

Law

  Download Law (.csv)
Formal Legal Code A/P/U/~   
 509 coded records
Judge A/P/U/~   
 478 coded records
Court A/P/U/~   
 435 coded records
Professional Lawyer A/P/U/~   
 414 coded records

Specialized Buildings: polity owned

  Download Specialized Buildings: polity owned (.csv)
Irrigation System A/P/U/~   
 468 coded records
Drinking Water Supply System A/P/U/~   
 398 coded records
Market A/P/U/~   
 501 coded records
Food Storage Site A/P/U/~   
 447 coded records
Communal Building A/P/U/~   
 132 coded records
Utilitarian Public Building A/P/U/~   
 161 coded records
Symbolic Building A/P/U/~   
 126 coded records
Entertainment Building A/P/U/~   
 86 coded records
Knowledge Or Information Building A/P/U/~   
 127 coded records
Other Utilitarian Public Building A/P/U/~   
 10 coded records
Special Purpose House A/P/U/~   
 69 coded records

Transport Infrastructure

  Download Transport Infrastructure (.csv)
Road A/P/U/~   
 466 coded records
Bridge A/P/U/~   
 373 coded records
Canal A/P/U/~   
 368 coded records
Port A/P/U/~   
 448 coded records

Special-purpose Sites

  Download Special-purpose Sites (.csv)
Mines Or Quarry A/P/U/~   
 366 coded records
Special Purpose Site A/P/U/~   
 105 coded records
Ceremonial Site A/P/U/~   
 105 coded records
Burial Site A/P/U/~   
 102 coded records
Trading Emporia A/P/U/~   
 95 coded records
Enclosure A/P/U/~   
 67 coded records
Other Special Purpose Site A/P/U/~   
 29 coded records

Information

  Download Information (.csv)

Writing System

Mnemonic Device A/P/U/~   
 243 coded records
Nonwritten Record A/P/U/~   
 339 coded records
Written Record A/P/U/~   
 584 coded records
Script A/P/U/~   
 578 coded records
Non Phonetic Writing A/P/U/~   
 349 coded records
Phonetic Alphabetic Writing A/P/U/~   
 496 coded records

Kinds of Written Documents

Lists Tables And Classification A/P/U/~   
 483 coded records
Calendar A/P/U/~   
 531 coded records
Sacred Text A/P/U/~   
 546 coded records
Religious Literature A/P/U/~   
 561 coded records
Practical Literature A/P/U/~   
 500 coded records
History A/P/U/~   
 489 coded records
Philosophy A/P/U/~   
 461 coded records
Scientific Literature A/P/U/~   
 482 coded records
Fiction A/P/U/~   
 499 coded records

Money

Article A/P/U/~   
 465 coded records
Token A/P/U/~   
 394 coded records
Precious Metal A/P/U/~   
 398 coded records
Foreign Coin A/P/U/~   
 448 coded records
Indigenous Coin A/P/U/~   
 521 coded records
Paper Currency A/P/U/~   
 459 coded records
Debt And Credit Structure A/P/U/~   
 96 coded records
Store Of Wealth A/P/U/~   
 73 coded records

Postal System

Courier A/P/U/~   
 410 coded records
Postal Station A/P/U/~   
 389 coded records
General Postal Service A/P/U/~   
 387 coded records
Fastest Individual Communication RANGE   
 49 coded records

Measurement System

Length Measurement System A/P/U/~   
 125 coded records
Area Measurement System A/P/U/~   
 112 coded records
Volume Measurement System A/P/U/~   
 125 coded records
Weight Measurement System A/P/U/~   
 140 coded records
Time Measurement System A/P/U/~   
 111 coded records
Geometrical Measurement System A/P/U/~   
 88 coded records
Other Measurement System A/P/U/~   
 25 coded records