Social Complexity Variables   Download All (.CSV)  Inconsistent Year Ranges
We have coded a total of 25,006 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   
 564 coded records
Polity Population RANGE   
 534 coded records
Population Of The Largest Settlement RANGE   
 560 coded records
Largest Communication Distance RANGE   
 34 coded records

Hierarchical Complexity

  Download Hierarchical Complexity (.csv)
Settlement Hierarchy RANGE   
 561 coded records
Administrative Level RANGE   
 555 coded records
Religious Level RANGE   
 423 coded records
Military Level RANGE   
 436 coded records

Professions

  Download Professions (.csv)
Professional Military Officer A/P/U/~   
 463 coded records
Professional Soldier A/P/U/~   
 494 coded records
Professional Priesthood A/P/U/~   
 459 coded records
Source Of Support TEXT   
 86 coded records
Occupational Complexity A/P/U/~   
 23 coded records

Bureaucracy Characteristics

  Download Bureaucracy Characteristics (.csv)
Full Time Bureaucrat A/P/U/~   
 486 coded records
Examination System A/P/U/~   
 375 coded records
Merit Promotion A/P/U/~   
 372 coded records
Specialized Government Building A/P/U/~   
 472 coded records

Law

  Download Law (.csv)
Formal Legal Code A/P/U/~   
 493 coded records
Judge A/P/U/~   
 467 coded records
Court A/P/U/~   
 422 coded records
Professional Lawyer A/P/U/~   
 398 coded records

Specialized Buildings: polity owned

  Download Specialized Buildings: polity owned (.csv)
Irrigation System A/P/U/~   
 462 coded records
Drinking Water Supply System A/P/U/~   
 371 coded records
Market A/P/U/~   
 490 coded records
Food Storage Site A/P/U/~   
 444 coded records
Communal Building A/P/U/~   
 127 coded records
Utilitarian Public Building A/P/U/~   
 158 coded records
Symbolic Building A/P/U/~   
 123 coded records
Entertainment Building A/P/U/~   
 61 coded records
Knowledge Or Information Building A/P/U/~   
 116 coded records
Other Utilitarian Public Building A/P/U/~   
 10 coded records
Special Purpose House A/P/U/~   
 64 coded records

Transport Infrastructure

  Download Transport Infrastructure (.csv)
Road A/P/U/~   
 459 coded records
Bridge A/P/U/~   
 361 coded records
Canal A/P/U/~   
 351 coded records
Port A/P/U/~   
 433 coded records

Special-purpose Sites

  Download Special-purpose Sites (.csv)
Mines Or Quarry A/P/U/~   
 363 coded records
Special Purpose Site A/P/U/~   
 102 coded records
Ceremonial Site A/P/U/~   
 97 coded records
Burial Site A/P/U/~   
 97 coded records
Trading Emporia A/P/U/~   
 84 coded records
Enclosure A/P/U/~   
 55 coded records
Other Special Purpose Site A/P/U/~   
 18 coded records

Information

  Download Information (.csv)

Writing System

Mnemonic Device A/P/U/~   
 215 coded records
Nonwritten Record A/P/U/~   
 330 coded records
Written Record A/P/U/~   
 584 coded records
Script A/P/U/~   
 578 coded records
Non Phonetic Writing A/P/U/~   
 346 coded records
Phonetic Alphabetic Writing A/P/U/~   
 493 coded records

Kinds of Written Documents

Lists Tables And Classification A/P/U/~   
 411 coded records
Calendar A/P/U/~   
 526 coded records
Sacred Text A/P/U/~   
 539 coded records
Religious Literature A/P/U/~   
 556 coded records
Practical Literature A/P/U/~   
 493 coded records
History A/P/U/~   
 479 coded records
Philosophy A/P/U/~   
 449 coded records
Scientific Literature A/P/U/~   
 467 coded records
Fiction A/P/U/~   
 489 coded records

Money

Article A/P/U/~   
 459 coded records
Token A/P/U/~   
 353 coded records
Precious Metal A/P/U/~   
 380 coded records
Foreign Coin A/P/U/~   
 429 coded records
Indigenous Coin A/P/U/~   
 520 coded records
Paper Currency A/P/U/~   
 455 coded records
Debt And Credit Structure A/P/U/~   
 80 coded records
Store Of Wealth A/P/U/~   
 60 coded records

Postal System

Courier A/P/U/~   
 404 coded records
Postal Station A/P/U/~   
 373 coded records
General Postal Service A/P/U/~   
 378 coded records
Fastest Individual Communication RANGE   
 23 coded records

Measurement System

Length Measurement System A/P/U/~   
 110 coded records
Area Measurement System A/P/U/~   
 94 coded records
Volume Measurement System A/P/U/~   
 107 coded records
Weight Measurement System A/P/U/~   
 122 coded records
Time Measurement System A/P/U/~   
 100 coded records
Geometrical Measurement System A/P/U/~   
 60 coded records
Other Measurement System A/P/U/~   
 21 coded records