Section: Social Complexity
Subsection: Bureaucracy characteristics

Specialized Government Building

these buildings are where administrative officials are located, and must be distinct from the ruler's palace. they may be used for document storage, registration offices, minting money, etc. defense structures also are not coded here (see military). state-owned/operated workshop should also not be coded here.   (See here)
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Variable Definition
Polity The Seshat Polity ID
Year(s) The years for which we have the data. [negative = BCE]
Tag [Evidenced, Disputed, Suspected, Inferred, Unknown]
Verified A Seshat Expert has approved this piece of data.

Variable Definition
specialized_government_building The absence or presence of specialized government building for a polity.

# Polity Year(s) Specialized Government Building Description   Edit
11
(Portuguese Empire - Early Modern)
Full Year Range of Portuguese Empire - Early Modern is assumed.
[1640, 1806]
present
"In the early 18th century, "A huge aqueduct was constructed tobring fresh water to Lisbon, and the royal arsenal, gunpowder factory and mint were all substantially rebuilt." [Disney 2009]
12
(Early Tana 2)
Full Year Range of Early Tana 2 is assumed.
[750, 999]
present
EMPTY_COMMENT
13
(Early Tana 2)
Full Year Range of Early Tana 2 is assumed.
[750, 999]
present
"The noticeable decline in the import and internal output of this period set against the expansion of the site and population is an expression of increased complexity that may imply a division of labour that relocated the centres for craftwork to elsewhere, away from the Unguja Ukuu site as the public core area for political functions, administration and defence. This must have overtly distinguished Unguja Ukuu as a seat of urban conduct with an aggregation of buildings, groups of immigrants bringing in the old coinage, a market for subsistence resources from the periphery, and providing services to the population within the site territory and beyond." [Juma 2004]
14
(Axum II)
Full Year Range of Axum II is assumed.
[350, 599]
present
Mint required to produce gold, silver, copper coins. [Kobishanov 1981, p. 386] Customs building? System of customs duties possibly existed in the sixth century. [Kobishanov 1981, p. 389]
15
(Southern Song)
Full Year Range of Southern Song is assumed.
[1127, 1279]
present
EMPTY_COMMENT
16
(Early Tana 1)
Full Year Range of Early Tana 1 is assumed.
[500, 749]
unknown
EMPTY_COMMENT
17
(Kingdom of Georgia II)
Full Year Range of Kingdom of Georgia II is assumed.
[975, 1243]
present
None
18
(Early East Africa Iron Age)
Full Year Range of Early East Africa Iron Age is assumed.
[200, 499]
absent
Likely no centralisation, and therefore also no bureaucracy; dispersed network of homesteads instead. "[A]rchaeology[...] suggests these early communities probably consisted of dispersed networks of homesteads, rather than centralised societies (Reid 1994/5; Van Grunderbeek et al. 1983)." [Ashley 2010, p. 146]
19
(Portuguese Empire - Renaissance Period)
Full Year Range of Portuguese Empire - Renaissance Period is assumed.
[1495, 1579]
present
"Lisbon urban regulations and urban planning dating back to King Manuel I’s reign (1495-1521) were the earliest Portuguese attempt to impose order and regularity on a town that had been growing in size and population since the 15th century. [...] Royal urban planning took material shape mainly in reforms in the city center: the opening of Rua Nova d’El Rey (Th e King’s New Street), as a part of the connection between Rossio Square and the business district further south, and the construction of a new royal palace and administration buildings in Praça da Ribeira (Riverine Square), giving the square approximately a U-shape facing the river." [Barreiros 2008]
20
(Kamarupa Kingdom)
Full Year Range of Kamarupa Kingdom is assumed.
[350, 1130]
present
"The record office in the city was called as Adhikarana." [Baruah 1985, p. 144]
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