Section: Naval technology
Variable: Small Vessels Canoes Etc (All coded records)
The absence or presence of small_vessels_canoes_etc as a military technology used in warfare.  
Small Vessels Canoes Etc
#  Polity  Coded Value Tags Year(s) Edit Desc
1 Kachi Plain - Proto-Historic Period unknown Suspected Expert 1300 BCE 801 BCE
First century BCE historian Diodorus Siculus narrates a presumed 9th CE battle between a queen of Assyria (considered Shammuramat?) and an Indian polity in which the Indians used riverboats: 4000 river boats made out of reeds "for along its rivers and marshy places India produces a great abundance of reeds, so large in diameter that a man cannot easily put his arms about them; and it is said, furthermore, that ships built of these are exceedingly serviceable, since this wood does not rot." [1] Actually Diodorus Siculus in this passage suggests Kachi Plain/Indus river may have been possessed by the Assyrians or contested: "For the Indus river, by reason of its being the largest in that region and the boundary of her kingdom, required many boats, some for the passage across and others from which to defend the former from the Indians; and since there was no timber near the river the boats had to be brought from Bactriana by land." [1] Note: one military historian estimates that the Assyrian army had a strategic range of 2000 km [2] which places the Indus region in reach of Assyrian forces.

[1]: Diodorus Siculus. Delphi Complete Works of Diodorus Siculus. Delphi Classics.

[2]: (Gabriel 2002, 9) Richard A Gabriel. 2002. The Great Armies of Antiquity. Praeger. Westport.


2 Kachi Plain - Proto-Historic Period present Inferred Expert 800 BCE
First century BCE historian Diodorus Siculus narrates a presumed 9th CE battle between a queen of Assyria (considered Shammuramat?) and an Indian polity in which the Indians used riverboats: 4000 river boats made out of reeds "for along its rivers and marshy places India produces a great abundance of reeds, so large in diameter that a man cannot easily put his arms about them; and it is said, furthermore, that ships built of these are exceedingly serviceable, since this wood does not rot." [1] Actually Diodorus Siculus in this passage suggests Kachi Plain/Indus river may have been possessed by the Assyrians or contested: "For the Indus river, by reason of its being the largest in that region and the boundary of her kingdom, required many boats, some for the passage across and others from which to defend the former from the Indians; and since there was no timber near the river the boats had to be brought from Bactriana by land." [1] Note: one military historian estimates that the Assyrian army had a strategic range of 2000 km [2] which places the Indus region in reach of Assyrian forces.

[1]: Diodorus Siculus. Delphi Complete Works of Diodorus Siculus. Delphi Classics.

[2]: (Gabriel 2002, 9) Richard A Gabriel. 2002. The Great Armies of Antiquity. Praeger. Westport.


3 Kachi Plain - Proto-Historic Period unknown Suspected Expert 799 BCE 500 BCE
First century BCE historian Diodorus Siculus narrates a presumed 9th CE battle between a queen of Assyria (considered Shammuramat?) and an Indian polity in which the Indians used riverboats: 4000 river boats made out of reeds "for along its rivers and marshy places India produces a great abundance of reeds, so large in diameter that a man cannot easily put his arms about them; and it is said, furthermore, that ships built of these are exceedingly serviceable, since this wood does not rot." [1] Actually Diodorus Siculus in this passage suggests Kachi Plain/Indus river may have been possessed by the Assyrians or contested: "For the Indus river, by reason of its being the largest in that region and the boundary of her kingdom, required many boats, some for the passage across and others from which to defend the former from the Indians; and since there was no timber near the river the boats had to be brought from Bactriana by land." [1] Note: one military historian estimates that the Assyrian army had a strategic range of 2000 km [2] which places the Indus region in reach of Assyrian forces.

[1]: Diodorus Siculus. Delphi Complete Works of Diodorus Siculus. Delphi Classics.

[2]: (Gabriel 2002, 9) Richard A Gabriel. 2002. The Great Armies of Antiquity. Praeger. Westport.


4 Kushan Empire absent Confident Uncertain Expert -
-
5 Tocharians unknown Suspected Expert -
-
6 Early Wei Dynasty unknown Suspected Expert -
-
7 Greco-Bactrian Kingdom present Confident Expert -
e.g. ships used to cross water like the Hellespont etc. [1] As a landlocked kingdom, naval forces were restricted to river craft

[1]: Sekunda, Nick. The army of Alexander the Great.


8 Neguanje unknown Suspected Expert -
-
9 Tairona unknown Suspected Expert -
-
10 Egypt - Dynasty I present Confident Expert -
-
11 Egypt - Dynasty II present Confident Expert -
-
12 Egypt - Inter-Occupation Period present Inferred Expert -
-
13 Egypt - New Kingdom Thutmosid Period present Confident Expert -
-
14 Egypt - Classic Old Kingdom present Confident Expert -
-
15 Ptolemaic Kingdom I present Confident Expert -
-
16 Ptolemaic Kingdom II present Confident Expert -
-
17 Egypt - Thebes-Hyksos Period present Confident Expert -
-
18 Egypt - Thebes-Libyan Period present Inferred Expert -
-
19 French Kingdom - Late Bourbon present Confident Expert -
-
20 Hephthalites present Confident Expert -
Extremely unlikely they would not use river boats.
21 Kidarite Kingdom present Confident Expert -
Extremely unlikely they would not use river boats.
22 Eastern Han Empire present Inferred Expert -
In use since the Shang dynasty
23 Western Jin present Confident Expert -
Naval operations "very common" on rivers. [1]

[1]: (Peers 1995, 20-21)


24 Jin present Confident Expert -
[1]

[1]: (Falkenhausen 1999, 526)


25 Longshan absent Confident Expert -
"The first recorded use of ships in a military operation occurred circa 1045 B.C.E." [1]

[1]: (Lorge 2012, 82-83)


26 Northern Song present Confident Expert -
Supported by a river fleet in early conquests, e.g. against Southern Song. [1]

[1]: (Lorge 2005, 32)


27 Early Qing present Confident Expert -
"China’s seagoing forces consisted of small ships and boats tethered to the military organizations of specific provinces." [1]

[1]: (Dreyer, 2012, 28)


28 Late Qing present Confident Expert -
e.g. small wooden war vessels of the Gunagdong Fleet [1]

[1]: (Wright 2001, 25)


29 Tang Dynasty I present Confident Expert -
Based on earlier polities. River boats etc.
30 Tang Dynasty II present Confident Expert -
River boats etc.
31 Western Han Empire present Confident Expert -
Ships were used for naval assaults in China for centuries
32 Safavid Empire unknown Suspected Expert -
-
33 Great Yuan present Confident Expert -
"In late 1267, the Mongol army began to ring Xiangyang and Fancheng with forts and contest the Song navy for control of the river." [1]

[1]: (Lorge 2005, 83)


34 Ayyubid Sultanate present Inferred Expert -
Inferred from necessity of Nile river travel.
35 Egypt - Mamluk Sultanate I present Inferred Expert -
Inferred from necessity of Nile travel.
36 Egypt - Mamluk Sultanate III present Inferred Expert -
Inferred from necessity of Nile travel.
37 Egypt - Mamluk Sultanate II present Inferred Expert -
Inferred from necessity of Nile travel.
38 Egypt - Middle Kingdom present Confident Expert -
River vessels used for conflict. [1]

[1]: (Healy 1992, 25)


39 Egypt - Dynasty 0 present Confident Expert -
Sophisticated, elaborate boats were evidently used by 3600 B.C. (Late Nagada), but model boats from Merimda suggest that boats and canoes were already in use before 4500 B.C. [1]

[1]: (Hassan 1988, 157)


40 Egypt - Late Old Kingdom present Confident Expert -
River vessels used for conflict. [1]

[1]: (Healy 1992, 25)


41 Egypt - Tulunid-Ikhshidid Period present Confident Expert -
[1]

[1]: Gabrieli, Francesco. "Greeks and Arabs in the Central Mediterranean Area." Dumbarton Oaks Papers 18 (1964): 57-65.


42 Atlantic Complex unknown Suspected Expert -
Not mentioned in the literature.
43 French Kingdom - Early Bourbon present Confident Expert -
[1]

[1]: (Briggs 1998, 66)


44 French Kingdom - Late Capetian present Inferred Expert -
"Roman vessels utilized the rivers and coastal waters to transport merchandise and military personnel. The early Franks developed fleets for use in trade and war. Their vessels were propelled by oars and probably a single square sail." [1]

[1]: (Runyan 1995, 1246-1247) Timothy J Runyan. 1995. Naval Power. William W Kibler. Grover A Zinn. Lawrence Earp. John Bell Henneman Jr. Medieval France (1995): An Encyclopedia. Garland Publishing, Inc. New York.


45 Carolingian Empire II present Confident Expert -
David Baker says present. [1]

[1]: David Baker. Personal communication to Seshat Databank.


46 Hallstatt B2-3 unknown Suspected Expert -
Not mentioned in the literature.
47 Hallstatt C absent Inferred Expert -
Not mentioned in the literature.
48 Early Merovingian present Confident Expert -
River craft. [1]

[1]: (Bachrach 1972, 128) Bachrach, B S. 1972. Merovingian Military Organization 481-751. University of Minnesota Press. Minneapolis.


49 La Tene B2-C1 present Confident Expert -
Port at Geneva [1]

[1]: (Kruta 2004, 35?)


50 La Tene C2-D present Confident Expert -
Port at Geneva [1]

[1]: (Kruta 2004, 35?)


51 French Kingdom - Early Valois present Confident Expert -
Present. [1]

[1]: (Nicolle and McBridge 1991, 41) David Nicolle. 2000. French Armies Of The Hundred Years War. Osprey Publishing. Oxford.


52 French Kingdom - Late Valois present Confident Expert -
Present. [1]

[1]: (Potter 2008, 60)


53 Akan - Pre-Ashanti absent Confident Expert -
-
54 Yemen - Tahirid Dynasty present Confident Expert -
Naval battle recorded [1]

[1]: Porter, Venetia Ann (1992) The history and monuments of the Tahirid dynasty of the Yemen 858-923/1454-1517, Durham theses, Durham University, pp. 65-66 , Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/5867/


55 Classical Crete present Confident Expert -
-
56 The Emirate of Crete present Confident Expert -
-
57 Final Postpalatial Crete present Confident Expert -
-
58 Geometric Crete present Confident Expert -
-
59 Monopalatial Crete present Confident Expert -
-
60 Neolithic Crete unknown Suspected Expert -
-
61 New Palace Crete present Confident Expert -
-
62 Old Palace Crete present Confident Expert -
-
63 Postpalatial Crete present Confident Expert -
-
64 Prepalatial Crete present Confident Expert -
-
65 Mataram Sultanate present Confident Expert -
-
66 Canaan unknown Suspected Expert -
-
67 Yehuda unknown Confident Expert -
-
68 Chalukyas of Badami unknown Suspected Expert -
-
69 Chalukyas of Kalyani unknown Suspected Expert -
-
70 Post-Mauryan Kingdoms unknown Suspected Expert -
-
71 Late A'chik absent Confident Expert -
-
72 Gahadavala Dynasty unknown Suspected Expert -
-
73 Hoysala Kingdom unknown Suspected Expert -
-
74 Kadamba Empire unknown Suspected Expert -
-
75 Kampili Kingdom unknown Suspected Expert -
-
76 Rashtrakuta Empire unknown Suspected Expert -
-
77 Satavahana Empire unknown Suspected Expert -
-
78 Vakataka Kingdom unknown Suspected Expert -
-
79 Vijayanagara Empire present Confident Expert -
-
80 Abbasid Caliphate II unknown Suspected Expert -
-
81 Achaemenid Empire present Inferred Expert -
-
82 Buyid Confederation unknown Suspected Expert -
-
83 Elymais II unknown Suspected Expert -
-
84 Ilkhanate unknown Suspected Expert -
-
85 Parthian Empire I unknown Suspected Expert -
-
86 Parthian Empire II unknown Suspected Expert -
-
87 Qajar unknown Suspected Expert -
-
88 Sasanid Empire I unknown Suspected Expert -
-
89 Seleucids unknown Suspected Expert -
-
90 Hawaii I present Inferred Expert -
Canoes were present at contact and being used for war and must have been present during earlier periods to reach Hawaii, so we can assume that they were at this time too.
91 Kediri Kingdom present Confident Expert -
central government controlled building and use of boats. [1]

[1]: (Kinney 2003, 49)


92 Majapahit Kingdom present Confident Expert -
central government controlled building and use of boats. [1]

[1]: (Kinney 2003, 49)


93 Yisrael absent Confident Expert -
There is no record of any Israelite navy or naval engagement during the entire period; all references to ships involve trade, sometimes sponsored by kings. [1]

[1]: Kelle (2007:43)


94 Early A'chik absent Confident Expert -
inland polity
95 Mahajanapada era unknown Suspected Expert -
Boats are mentioned in the Rigveda but it is not clear if they were for rivers or the sea, or whether they were used for military activity. [1]

[1]: Singh, Upinder, A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India: From the Stone Age to the 12th Century (New Delhi: Pearson Education, 2008, p.199.


96 Mughal Empire present Confident Expert -
Used in the river systems of Bengal.
97 Ubaid present Confident Expert -
There are known the model of boats from Eridu, Tell Awayli, H3 as well as fragment of ceramic with painted boat, but there are no information regarding the use of boat in war. [1] [2] Moreover, the remains of boats were discovered as well. [3]

[1]: Chavrat 2008, 86-87

[2]: Carter 2006, 53-54

[3]: Carter 2012, 348-9


98 Susiana - Muhammad Jaffar unknown Suspected Expert -
Not mentioned in the archaeological evidence
99 Formative Period unknown Suspected Expert -
Not mentioned in the archaeological evidence
100 Susiana A unknown Suspected Expert -
Not mentioned in the archaeological evidence
101 Susiana B unknown Suspected Expert -
Not mentioned in the archaeological evidence
102 Susiana - Late Ubaid unknown Suspected Expert -
Not mentioned in the archaeological evidence
103 Susiana - Early Ubaid unknown Suspected Expert -
Not mentioned in the archaeological evidence
104 Elam III present Inferred Expert -
At the time of Ur III c2000 BCE Gu’abba was a seaport on the Persian Gulf that built ships and had a textile manufacturing sector. A trade route from Guabba ran east to the Karun River and beyond (the region of Susiana). The route was also used for the transport of troops. [1] The Karun River runs inland into Khuzestan which was the Elamite heartland. It would be logical for there to have been boats that sailed down this river to the Persian Gulf in all periods. The boats on the Karun could also have ferried troops.

[1]: (? 2018) Author?. Title?. Javier Alvarez-Mon. Gian Pietro Basello. Yasmina Wicks. ed. 2018. The Elamite World. Routledge. Abingdon.


105 Yemen - Era of Warlords present Inferred Expert -
Code inferred from Abbasid Caliphate [1] which occupied Yemen between 751-868 CE.

[1]: (Gabrieli 1964, 57-65) Francesco Gabrieli. 1964. Greeks and Arabs in the Central Mediterranean Area. Papers 18. Dumbarton Oaks.


106 Yemen Ziyad Dynasty present Inferred Expert -
Code inferred from Abbasid Caliphate [1] which occupied Yemen between 751-868 CE.

[1]: (Gabrieli 1964, 57-65) Francesco Gabrieli. 1964. Greeks and Arabs in the Central Mediterranean Area. Papers 18. Dumbarton Oaks.


107 Rome - Republic of St Peter II present Confident Expert -
-
108 Papal States - Early Modern Period I present Confident Expert -
-
109 Papal States - Early Modern Period II present Confident Expert -
-
110 Papal States - Renaissance Period present Confident Expert -
-
111 Exarchate of Ravenna absent Confident Expert -
-
112 Early Roman Republic present Confident Expert -
-
113 Late Roman Republic absent Confident Expert -
-
114 Middle Roman Republic absent Confident Expert -
-
115 Roman Empire - Principate absent Confident Expert -
-
116 Western Roman Empire - Late Antiquity present Confident Expert -
-
117 Republic of St Peter I absent Confident Expert -
-
118 Ashikaga Shogunate present Confident Expert -
-
119 Japan - Azuchi-Momoyama present Confident Expert -
-
120 Heian present Confident Expert -
-
121 Nara Kingdom present Confident Expert -
-
122 Warring States Japan present Confident Expert -
-
123 Andronovo unknown Suspected Expert -
-
124 Saadi Sultanate present Inferred Expert -
-
125 Jenne-jeno I unknown Suspected Expert -
-
126 Jenne-jeno II unknown Suspected Expert -
-
127 Jenne-jeno III unknown Suspected Expert -
-
128 Jenne-jeno IV unknown Suspected Expert -
-
129 Khitan I unknown Suspected Expert -
-
130 Mongol Empire unknown Suspected Expert -
-
131 Early Mongols absent Confident Expert -
-
132 Late Mongols unknown Suspected Expert -
-
133 Shiwei unknown Suspected Expert -
-
134 Uigur Khaganate unknown Suspected Expert -
-
135 Zungharian Empire unknown Suspected Expert -
-
136 Susa III unknown Suspected Expert -
Not mentioned in the archaeological evidence
137 Icelandic Commonwealth present Confident Expert -
[Small vessels (fishing boats) certainly were used in military operations.]
138 Roman Kingdom present Inferred Expert -
RA couldn’t find relevant information. Expert advice is needed
139 Republic of Venice IV present Inferred Expert -
1310 CE after an insurrection "100 armed men in boats were deputed to patrol the lagoon and canals". [1]

[1]: (Norwich 2003, 197) John Julius Norwich. 2003. A History of Venice. Penguin Books. London.


140 Asuka unknown Suspected Expert -
naval war in Korea
141 Japan - Final Jomon present Inferred Expert -
No archaeological evidence for this. Moreover, the scholarly consensus is that the Jomon were relatively peaceful. [1]

[1]: Peter Bleed & Akira Matsui, ‘Why Didn’t Agriculture Develop in Japan? A Consideration of Jomon Ecological Style, Niche Construction, and the Origins of Domestication’, Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory, 2010, Volume 17, Issue 4, p. 360


142 Kansai - Kofun Period unknown Suspected Expert -
rivers are present, very likely the technology was in use
143 Kansai - Yayoi Period unknown Suspected Expert -
rivers are present, likely to have had the technology.
144 Western Turk Khaganate absent Confident Expert -
[1] Inferred from Eastern Turk Khaganate of the same time

[1]: (Kradin 2015, personal communication)


145 Phoenician Empire unknown Confident Expert -
Given the Phoenicians’ use of large galleys in warfare, it is unlikely.
146 Mali Empire present Confident Expert -
Songhay Empire: Askia Muhammad created a full-time navy on the Niger. Before him Sunni Ali had "Niger boatmen in his amateur military system." [1]

[1]: (Davidson 1998, 168) Davidson, Basil. 1998. West Africa Before the Colonial Era. Routledge. London.


147 Songhai Empire - Askiya Dynasty present Confident Expert -
Songhay Empire: Askia Muhammad created a full-time navy on the Niger. Before him Sunni Ali had "Niger boatmen in his amateur military system." [1] Commander of canoe-fleet called hi-koy. [1]

[1]: (Davidson 1998, 168) Davidson, Basil. 1998. West Africa Before the Colonial Era. Routledge. London.


148 Eastern Turk Khaganate absent Confident Expert -
According to personal communication with N. Kradin. [1]

[1]: (Kradin 2015, personal communication)


149 Second Turk Khaganate absent Confident Expert -
[1]

[1]: (Kradin 2015, personal communication)


150 Xianbei Confederation absent Confident Expert -
According to personal communication with N. Kradin. [1]

[1]: (Kradin 2015, personal communication)


151 Late Xiongnu absent Confident Expert -
According to personal communication with N. Kradin. [1]

[1]: (Kradin 2015, personal communication)


152 Middle Wagadu Empire present Confident Expert -
dugout canoes very old technology in West Africa - oldest found at Dufuna at least 6,400 ago. [1]

[1]: (Reader 1998, 271)


153 Early Monte Alban I absent Confident Expert -
The Valley of Oaxaca is landlocked.
154 Monte Alban Late I absent Confident Expert -
The Valley of Oaxaca is landlocked.
155 Monte Alban III absent Confident Expert -
The Valley of Oaxaca is landlocked.
156 Monte Alban IIIB and IV absent Confident Expert -
The Valley of Oaxaca is landlocked.
157 Yemen - Qasimid Dynasty absent Confident Expert -
We have found no indication of naval battles.
158 Cuzco - Late Intermediate I unknown Suspected Expert -
-
159 Cuzco - Late Intermediate II unknown Suspected Expert -
-
160 Cuzco - Late Formative unknown Suspected Expert -
-
161 Kachi Plain - Pre-Urban Period absent Confident Expert -
-
162 Sind - Abbasid-Fatimid Period unknown Suspected Expert -
-
163 Umayyad Caliphate present Inferred Expert -
-
164 Sarazm unknown Suspected Expert -
-
165 Fatimid Caliphate present Confident Expert -
-
166 East Roman Empire present Confident Expert -
-
167 Ottoman Empire II present Confident Expert -
-
168 Ottoman Empire III present Confident Expert -
-
169 Roman Empire - Dominate absent Confident Expert -
-
170 Rum Sultanate present Inferred Expert -
-
171 Oneota unknown Suspected Expert -
-
172 Chagatai Khanate unknown Suspected Expert -
-
173 Koktepe I unknown Suspected Expert -
-
174 Koktepe II unknown Suspected Expert -
-
175 Rasulid Dynasty present Inferred Expert -
-
176 Oaxaca - Tierras Largas absent Confident Expert -
The Valley of Oaxaca is landlocked.
177 Cuzco - Early Intermediate I unknown Confident Expert -
[1]

[1]: (Brian Bauer 2015, personal communication)


178 Cuzco - Early Intermediate II unknown Confident Expert -
[1]

[1]: (Brian Bauer 2015, personal communication)


179 Kachi Plain - Aceramic Neolithic absent Confident Expert -
Inferred as Mehrgarh is landlocked.
180 Kachi Plain - Ceramic Neolithic absent Confident Expert -
Inferred as Mehrgarh is landlocked.
181 Kachi Plain - Chalcolithic absent Confident Expert -
Inferred as Mehrgarh is landlocked.
182 Indo-Greek Kingdom present Inferred Expert -
Inferred. As a landlocked kingdom, naval forces were restricted to river craft.
183 Kachi Plain - Post-Urban Period absent Confident Expert -
Pirak is landlocked.
184 Sind - Samma Dynasty present Confident Expert -
There is reference to 400 vessels on the river, although it us unknown if these were ocean going vessels. [1]

[1]: Lakho, Ghulam Muhammad, The Samma Kingdom of Sindh, (institute of Sindhology, 2006)


185 Sakha - Early absent Confident Expert -
Given the importance of nomadism, it seems unlikely that naval technology was used in warfare.
186 Sakha - Late absent Confident Expert -
Given the importance of nomadism, it seems unlikely that naval technology was used in warfare.
187 Egypt - Kushite Period present Inferred Expert -
needs expert verification
188 Ayutthaya unknown Suspected Expert -
No references identified in the literature. RA.
189 Rattanakosin unknown Suspected Expert -
No references in the literature.
190 Byzantine Empire I present Confident Expert -
Preiser-Kapeller says present. [1]

[1]: (Johannes Preiser-Kapeller 2015) Institute for Medieval Research, Division of Byzantine Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences)


191 Byzantine Empire III present Confident Expert -
Preiser-Kapeller says present. [1]

[1]: (Preiser-Kapeller 2015) Institute for Medieval Research, Division of Byzantine Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences)


192 Late Cappadocia absent Confident Expert -
Inferred, as Cappadocia is landlocked.
193 Konya Plain - Late Chalcolithic unknown Suspected Expert -
No information in the archaeological evidence for this time
194 Kingdom of Lydia present Inferred Expert -
boats had been in use for thousands of years in this NGA
195 Lysimachus Kingdom present Inferred Expert -
boats had been in use for thousands of years in this NGA
196 Konya Plain - Ceramic Neolithic unknown Suspected Expert -
No information in the archaeological evidence for this time
197 Konya Plain - Early Neolithic unknown Suspected Expert -
No information in the archaeological evidence for this time
198 Ottoman Empire I present Confident Expert -
[1]

[1]: Personal communication. Johannes Preiser-Kapeller. 2016. Institute for Medieval Research. Division of Byzantine Research. Austrian Academy of Sciences.


199 Tabal Kingdoms present Inferred Expert -
boats had been in use in the region for thousands of years
200 Cahokia - Moorehead present Confident Expert -
"Canoes identified so far are small, unable to carry high volumes of commodities." [1]

[1]: (Trubitt 2014, 18)


201 Kingdom of Hawaii - Kamehameha Period present Confident Expert -
Native canoes, as well as small schooners bought from Westerners [1]

[1]: Kuykendall, Ralph S. 1968[1938]. The Hawaiian Kingdom, Volume 1: 1778-1854, Foundation and Transformation. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. Pg. 95.


202 Cahokia - Emergent Mississippian II present Confident Expert -
"Canoes identified so far are small, unable to carry high volumes of commodities." [1]

[1]: (Trubitt 2014, 18)


203 Cahokia - Sand Prairie present Confident Expert -
"Canoes identified so far are small, unable to carry high volumes of commodities." [1]

[1]: (Trubitt 2014, 18)


204 Cahokia - Emergent Mississippian I present Confident Expert -
"Canoes identified so far are small, unable to carry high volumes of commodities." [1]

[1]: (Trubitt 2014, 18)


205 Khanate of Bukhara unknown Suspected Expert -
Possibly used for transport?
206 Sogdiana - City-States Period present Confident Expert -
extremely unlikely that river boats were not in use
207 Timurid Empire present Inferred Expert -
river boats likely to have been used
208 Durrani Empire present Inferred Expert -
The Durrani were a land based power, at most using river craft for logistical purposes. [1] As the Durrani were a land based power, coded absent. [2]

[1]: Indian Warfare and Afghan Innovation During the Eighteenth Century Studies in History August 1995 11: 261-280

[2]: Roy, Kaushik. War, Culture and Society in Early Modern South Asia, 1740-1849. Taylor & Francis, 2011. pp. 30-35


209 Ghur Principality absent Inferred Expert -
"The Delhi Sultanate had no navy and the Mughal Empire made sporadic attempts to construct a navy. The Mughals maintained a riverine fleet for coastal warfare but lacked a Blue Water Navy." [1]

[1]: (Roy 2015, 9) Kaushik Roy. 2015. Warfare in Pre-British India - 1500 BCE to 1740 CE. Routledge. London.


210 Erligang absent Confident Expert -
"The first recorded use of ships in a military operation occurred circa 1045 B.C.E." [1]

[1]: (Lorge 2012, 82-83)


211 Erlitou absent Confident Expert -
"The first recorded use of ships in a military operation occurred circa 1045 B.C.E." [1]

[1]: (Lorge 2012, 82-83)


212 Hmong - Early Chinese present Confident Expert -
’The boat used in the Miao area generally measures nine kung ch’ih in length, divided into seven holds, the middle hold being the widest, about one kung ch’ih in width (Illus. 18, 19). The oar, the paddle, the pole, the mast, and other attachments of the boat are not different from those seen elsewhere, except that at the bow there is a long paddle about six kung ch’ih long, which is used for coming down the sandbanks. Traveling upstream offers the greatest difficulty. Every time a sandbank is crossed, the boat has to be poled, lifted, towed, or pushed by several dozen men. Their chanting is as loud as the angry waves.’ [1]

[1]: Ling, Shun-sheng, Yifu Ruey, and Lien-en Tsao. 1947. “Report On An Investigation Of The Miao Of Western Hunan.", 70


213 Hmong - Late Qing absent Confident Expert -
Ling et al describe Hmong boats: ’The boat used in the Miao area generally measures nine kung ch’ih in length, divided into seven holds, the middle hold being the widest, about one kung ch’ih in width (Illus. 18, 19). The oar, the paddle, the pole, the mast, and other attachments of the boat are not different from those seen elsewhere, except that at the bow there is a long paddle about six kung ch’ih long, which is used for coming down the sandbanks. Traveling upstream offers the greatest difficulty. Every time a sandbank is crossed, the boat has to be poled, lifted, towed, or pushed by several dozen men.’ [1] We are unsure whether these were used in warfare. We have coded ’absent’ for the time being.

[1]: Ling, Shun-sheng, Yifu Ruey, and Lien-en Tsao. 1947. “Report On An Investigation Of The Miao Of Western Hunan.", 70


214 Jin Dynasty present Confident Expert -
"The Song army with its large oceangoing warships, wreaked havoc on the small Jin vessels [1] [2]

[1]: (Lorge, 2012, 87)

[2]: 《中國通史 宋遼金元史》〈第四章 南宋與金-中國南北的再分裂〉 第63頁-第79頁.


215 Hellenistic Crete present Confident Expert -
[1]

[1]: Everson, T. 2004. Warfare in Ancient Greece: Arms and Armour from the Heroes of Homer to Alexander the Great, Sutton.


216 Great Ming present Confident Expert -
Water Route: Modern scholar estimates that the total length of official land and water routes in the Ming amounted to 143,700 li (84,200 km or 52,300 miles). [1] Government barge: The size of the canal demanded labor and equipment on a scale equal to its requirements. By the mid-fifteenth century, 11,775 government grain barges were being hauled up and down the canal by 121,500 solders to keep the imperial storehouses in Beijing full. [2] Imperial barge: The imperial household also operated its own barge to supply the palace. These were said to number 161, of which fifteen were iceboats to transport fresh fish and fruit from the south. 600 skiffs call “fast-as-horse boats” that the Ministry of War were operated to protect imperial haul. [2]

[1]: (Brook, 2010, p.30-31)

[2]: (Brook, 2010, p.110)


217 Northern Wei present Confident Expert -
May have been used on military expeditions to the south. However, use would not have been extensive or highly complex. In 450 CE Wei Emperor Taiwu vs Song: "The Wei ruler made noises about crossing the river, but this was surely bluff since his men had neither the vessels nor the skills they would need to overcome the Song fleet." "The Northern Wei attempted to use the river vessels, which had been captured when Wang retreated, to block a Song fleet of a hundred boats." [1]

[1]: (Dien 2014, 35) Dien, Albert. 2014. The Disputation at Pengcheng: Accounts from the Wei Shu and Song Shu. in ed. Swartz, Wendy, Campany, Robert Ford, Lu, Yang and Jessey Choo. Early Medieval China: A Sourcebook. New York: Columbia University Press. 32-60.


218 Late Shang present Confident Expert -
There are written references to boats starting with the oracle bones of the Shang dynasty, which bear graphs interpreted as the original signs for a boat, a boat propelled by an oar, and the way to caulk the seams of a boat. Caulking suggests considerable sophistication in construction at such an early date. [1]

[1]: Kidder Jr., J. Edward, 2007. Himiko and Japan’s Elusive Kingdom of Yamatai (Honolulu: Hawaii University Press). p. 40


219 Sui Dynasty present Confident Expert -
"In 598, to prevent water-borne rebellion, Wen-ti ordered the confiscation in the south of all boats which were thirty feet long and over." [1] The Sui shu says Yang-ti for a ceremonial procession along a canal "built dragon boats, phoenix vessels, war boats of the ’Yellow Dragon’ style, red battle cruisers, multi-decked transports, lesser vessels of bamboo slats." [2]

[1]: (Wright 1979, 102)

[2]: (Wright 1979, 137)


220 Western Zhou present Confident Expert -
"The first recorded use of ships in a military operation occurred circa 1045 B.C.E when King Wu of Zhou ferried 300 chariots and 3,000 men of his personal guard across the Yellow River at Menjin in forty-seven ships to attack the Shang capital. These were not specialized warships but vessels commandeered for the operation." [1]

[1]: (Lorge 2012, 82-83)


221 Shuar - Colonial present Confident Expert -
The Shuar also used canoes when travelling far on campaigns: ’The co-operation provided by such non-untsuri šuarä inviters has sometimes made it possible for the Jívaro to travel incredibly far to kill. In one fondly remembered case, the assistance given by a tsumu šuarä (Huambisa) inviter-guide made it possible for a Jívaro expedition to pass down the Río Santiago by canoe through the entire Huambisa tribe and to wipe out most of an Aguaruna household on the Río Marañon below the Pongo de Manseriche.’ [1]

[1]: Harner, Michael J. 1973. “Jívaro: People Of The Sacred Waterfalls.”, 116


222 Shuar - Ecuadorian present Confident Expert -
"The co-operation provided by such non-untsuri šuarä inviters has sometimes made it possible for the Jívaro to travel incredibly far to kill. In one fondly remembered case, the assistance given by a tsumu šuarä (Huambisa) inviter-guide made it possible for a Jívaro expedition to pass down the Río Santiago by canoe through the entire Huambisa tribe and to wipe out most of an Aguaruna household on the Río Marañon below the Pongo de Manseriche." [1]

[1]: Harner, Michael J. 1973. “Jívaro: People Of The Sacred Waterfalls.”, 116


223 Badarian present Confident Expert -
"Sophisticated, elaborate boats were evidently used by 3600 B.C. (Late Nagada), but model boats from Merimda suggest that boats and canoes were already in use before 4500 B.C." [1]

[1]: (Hassan 1988, 157)


224 Naqada I present Confident Expert -
Sophisticated, elaborate boats were evidently used by 3600 B.C. (Late Nagada), but model boats from Merimda suggest that boats and canoes were already in use before 4500 B.C. [1]

[1]: (Hassan 1988, 157)


225 Naqada II present Confident Expert -
Sophisticated, elaborate boats were evidently used by 3600 B.C. (Late Nagada), but model boats from Merimda suggest that boats and canoes were already in use before 4500 B.C. [1]

[1]: (Hassan 1988, 157)


226 Egypt - New Kingdom Ramesside Period present Confident Expert -
[1] River vessels used for conflict. [2]

[1]: ([18])

[2]: (Healy 1992, 25)


227 Egypt - Period of the Regions present Confident Expert -
Definitely for troop transport. Ankhtfi "sailed downstream" with his troops before a siege of Thebes. [1]

[1]: (Seidlmayer 2003, 120)


228 Egypt - Saite Period present Confident Expert -
[1]

[1]: (Agut-Labordere 2013, 990) Agut-Labordere, Damien. "The Saite Period: The Emergence of A Mediterranean Power." in Garcia, Juan Carlos Moreno ed. 2013. Ancient Egyptian Administration. BRILL.


229 Spanish Empire I present Confident Expert -
Canoes in Peru (transportation or military?) [1]

[1]: (Bradley 2009, 197) Bradley, Peter T. 2009. Spain and the Defense of Peru: Royal Reluctance and Colonial Self-Reliance. Lulu.com. https://www.zotero.org/groups/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/VFMNE6JR


230 Hawaii II present Inferred Expert -
Canoes were present at contact and being used for war and must have been present during earlier periods to reach Hawaii, so we can assume that they were at this time too.
231 Hawaii III present Confident Expert -
A 1795 war fleet had four divisions of 300 canoes each. pg 517 [1]

[1]: Jolb, Michael, J. and Dixon, Boyd 2002. Landscape of war: Rules and conventions of conflict in ancient Hawai’i (and elsewhere). American Antiquity, 67, 514-534.


232 Early Illinois Confederation absent Inferred Expert -
Not mentioned by sources [1] .

[1]: Illinois State Museum, Illinois Society: Warfare (2000), http://www.museum.state.il.us/muslink/nat_amer/post/htmls/soc_war.html


233 Chuuk - Early Truk present Confident Expert -
Islanders engaged in canoe-fighting: ’Fighting skills in aboriginal times included knowledge of the manufacture as well [Page 54] as of the use of the various weapons: the club, spear, sling, knuckle-duster, and in more recent time the knife and rifle. Of great importance, too, was a knowledge of the various holds in a system of hand-to-hand encounter remotely reminiscent of Japanese jiujitsu. This system, known as jëëmmwënëëw, is highly developed, including ways to disarm opponents equipped with various weapons, ways of knocking them overboard in canoe fighting, etc. It appears to be completely native in origin.’ [1] Bollig’s material on strategy and divinations also implies that canoes were used in warfare: ’The ida[unknown] spear, the ida[unknown] fire, and the ida[unknown] blow-shell are sacred. Woe to one who touches them; the ida[unknown] will bite him, and as a result his throat will swell. The shell rests on a bed consisting of sacred herbs. Nobody is allowed to pass the side of the house where it is found. If the ida[unknown] is to blow the shell, he strokes it beforehand, while murmuring his texts. Besides the ikenida[unknown], the ibar (a species of banana) and woubar (red sugar-cane) are also reserved for the ida[unknown]. Only he and, with his permission, his pupils are allowed to eat them. This is strictly forbidden for the atö. Besides this ibar there are still other ida[unknown] bananas, since each ida[unknown] movement has more or less its own food laws. The principal activity /49/ of the ida[unknown] takes place in wartime. Aside from the fact that for the most part their intrigues and mischief-making caused the war as soon as it broke out they became leaders and all. [Page 54] They made the war plans during the so-called otout (banana eating). That is, the ida[unknown] took his bananas and put the individual fruits on a mat. Then he explained the campaign plan to his pupils and the other warriors. One banana signified a reef, another one a canoe, and so on. By moving the bananas back and forth, he made the situation clear and indicated to them how the enemy might possibly be attacked or how his attack could be repulsed. At the end the töbou ate the bananas together, certainly an excellent staff-map, which has the advantage that one can eat it without difficulty.’ [2]

[1]: Goodenough, Ward Hunt 1951. “Property, Kin, And Community On Truk”, 53

[2]: Bollig, Laurentius 1927. “Inhabitants Of The Truk Islands: Religion, Life And A Short Grammar Of A Micronesian People”, 53p


234 Chuuk - Late Truk present Confident Expert -
Islanders engaged in canoe-fighting: ’Fighting skills in aboriginal times included knowledge of the manufacture as well [Page 54] as of the use of the various weapons: the club, spear, sling, knuckle-duster, and in more recent time the knife and rifle. Of great importance, too, was a knowledge of the various holds in a system of hand-to-hand encounter remotely reminiscent of Japanese jiujitsu. This system, known as jëëmmwënëëw, is highly developed, including ways to disarm opponents equipped with various weapons, ways of knocking them overboard in canoe fighting, etc. It appears to be completely native in origin.’ [1] Bollig’s material on strategy and divinations also implies that canoes were used in warfare: ’The ida[unknown] spear, the ida[unknown] fire, and the ida[unknown] blow-shell are sacred. Woe to one who touches them; the ida[unknown] will bite him, and as a result his throat will swell. The shell rests on a bed consisting of sacred herbs. Nobody is allowed to pass the side of the house where it is found. If the ida[unknown] is to blow the shell, he strokes it beforehand, while murmuring his texts. Besides the ikenida[unknown], the ibar (a species of banana) and woubar (red sugar-cane) are also reserved for the ida[unknown]. Only he and, with his permission, his pupils are allowed to eat them. This is strictly forbidden for the atö. Besides this ibar there are still other ida[unknown] bananas, since each ida[unknown] movement has more or less its own food laws. The principal activity /49/ of the ida[unknown] takes place in wartime. Aside from the fact that for the most part their intrigues and mischief-making caused the war as soon as it broke out they became leaders and all. [Page 54] They made the war plans during the so-called otout (banana eating). That is, the ida[unknown] took his bananas and put the individual fruits on a mat. Then he explained the campaign plan to his pupils and the other warriors. One banana signified a reef, another one a canoe, and so on. By moving the bananas back and forth, he made the situation clear and indicated to them how the enemy might possibly be attacked or how his attack could be repulsed. At the end the töbou ate the bananas together, certainly an excellent staff-map, which has the advantage that one can eat it without difficulty.’ [2]

[1]: Goodenough, Ward Hunt 1951. “Property, Kin, And Community On Truk”, 53

[2]: Bollig, Laurentius 1927. “Inhabitants Of The Truk Islands: Religion, Life And A Short Grammar Of A Micronesian People”, 53p


235 Beaker Culture present Inferred Expert -
"the Bronze Age is the period that saw the development of a new type of seafaring craft, the sewn-plank boat, which would have been suited to undertake the long-distance journeys required for maintaining exchange networks; and that evidence in the form of logboats indicates that rivers became increasingly important during this period as arteries for travel and transport" [1]

[1]: (Fookens and Nicolis, 2012, 75)


236 Proto-French Kingdom present Inferred Expert -
"Roman vessels utilized the rivers and coastal waters to transport merchandise and military personnel. The early Franks developed fleets for use in trade and war. Their vessels were propelled by oars and probably a single square sail." [1]

[1]: (Runyan 1995, 1246-1247) Timothy J Runyan. 1995. Naval Power. William W Kibler. Grover A Zinn. Lawrence Earp. John Bell Henneman Jr. Medieval France (1995): An Encyclopedia. Garland Publishing, Inc. New York.


237 Carolingian Empire I present Confident Expert -
David Baker says present. [1]

[1]: David Baker. Personal communication to Seshat Databank.


238 Hallstatt A-B1 present Confident Expert -
"Similarities between the logboats and plank boats of the period 600 BC to AD 600 and those of earlier times suggest that the roots of Celtic boatbuilding lie in the second millennium BC or earlier." [1] However there is no geographical resolution, even if the term ’Celtic’ implies La Tène and Hallstatt.

[1]: (Green 1995, 271)


239 Hallstatt D present Inferred Expert -
Mediterranean amphore close to Paris Bain shows long-distant trade. [1]

[1]: (http://www.chronocarto.ens.fr/gcserver/atlas#)


240 Proto-Carolingian present Confident Expert -
River craft. [1]

[1]: (Bachrach 1972, 128) Bachrach, B S. 1972. Merovingian Military Organization 481-751. University of Minnesota Press. Minneapolis.


241 Middle Merovingian present Confident Expert -
River craft. [1]

[1]: (Bachrach 1972, 128) Bachrach, B S. 1972. Merovingian Military Organization 481-751. University of Minnesota Press. Minneapolis.


242 La Tene A-B1 present Inferred Expert -
"Similarities between the logboats and plank boats of the period 600 BC to AD 600 and those of earlier times suggest that the roots of Celtic boatbuilding lie in the second millennium BC or earlier." [1] However there is no geographical or temporal resolution in this statement, even if the term ’Celtic’ implies La Tène and Hallstatt.

[1]: (Green 1995, 271)


243 Ashanti Empire absent Inferred Expert -
The sources available make no mention of naval warfare or technology.
244 Archaic Crete present Confident Expert -
[1]

[1]: Everson, T. 2004. Warfare in Ancient Greece: Arms and Armour from the Heroes of Homer to Alexander the Great, Sutton.


245 Iban - Pre-Brooke present Confident Expert -
Iban war-boasts could hold a sizable force: "Shortly after he had this dream, Unggang built a large war boat, whose interior ( ruang ) was big enough for him to spread a large idas mat. He used this boat to lead his warriors to guard the mouth of the Saribas river to prevent the Illanuns and other pirates from entering, and to attack other strangers who came to sail in that part of the South China sea. After he had done this successfully, he led his warriors further overseas to look for trading ships... He did not like to be accompanied by other Iban boats, as his own could easily carry over 100 warriors. At this time no one dared to attack any boat commanded by Unggang." [1] Low seems to refer to the same model, even though the vessel described appears smaller: "It is a grand sight to see these canoes filled with dusky warriors whose naked arms and bodies are just visible beneath the awning, pulling away with a uniform and vigorous stroke... The canoes hold each from twenty to seventy men." [2] We have chosen to identify war boats as small vessels rather than military ships.

[1]: Sandin 1967, 64

[2]: Low & Ling Roth 1893, 56


246 Iban - Brooke Raj and Colonial present Confident Expert -
We have decided to consider war boats to be small vessels rather than military ships: It is a grand sight to see these canoes filled with dusky warriors whose naked arms and bodies are just visible beneath the awning, pulling away with a uniform and vigorous stroke... The canoes hold each from twenty to seventy men. [1] Shortly after he had this dream, Unggang built a large war boat, whose interior ( ruang ) was big enough for him to spread a large idas mat. He used this boat to lead his warriors to guard the mouth of the Saribas river to prevent the Illanuns and other pirates from entering, and to attack other strangers who came to sail in that part of the South China sea. After he had done this successfully, he led his warriors further overseas to look for trading ships... He did not like to be accompanied by other Iban boats, as his own could easily carry over 100 warriors. At this time no one dared to attack any boat commanded by Unggang. [2]

[1]: Low & Ling Roth 1893, 56

[2]: Sandin 1967, 64


247 Kingdom of Ayodhya present Inferred Expert -
"Gradually the entire region comprising the Middle Ganga Valley was colonized. Kashi (Varanasi) and Ayodhya emerged as two great cultural and political hubs situated as they are on navigable rivers like the Ganga and the Ghaghara respectively." [1]

[1]: (? 1974, 4) ?. 1974. The National Geographical Journal of India. Volume 20. National Geographical Society of India.


248 Delhi Sultanate absent Inferred Expert -
"The Delhi Sultanate had no navy and the Mughal Empire made sporadic attempts to construct a navy. The Mughals maintained a riverine fleet for coastal warfare but lacked a Blue Water Navy." [1]

[1]: (Roy 2015, 9) Kaushik Roy. 2015. Warfare in Pre-British India - 1500 BCE to 1740 CE. Routledge. London.


249 Gupta Empire present Inferred Expert -
According to Kalidasa’s Raghuvamsam a monarch of Bengal invaded the Gupta Empire with a "riverine flotilla". [1]

[1]: (Roy 2016, 22) Kaushik Roy. 2016. Military Manpower, Armies and Warfare in South Asia. Routledge. Abingdon.


250 Kannauj - Varman Dynasty present Confident Expert -
"In north India, Bengal and the Indus valley played important role in naval affairs. We are informed that Jivitagupta II of Magadha and Dahir and Jaismha of Sind had also powerful naval forces. Jaisimha was defeated and killed by the Arabs after a hard fought naval battle." [1]

[1]: (Mishra 1977, 149) Shyam Manohar Mishra. 1977. Yaśovarman of Kanauj: A Study of Political History, Social, and Cultural Life of Northern India During the Reign of Yaśovarman. Abhinav Publications.


251 Abbasid Caliphate I present Confident Expert -
[1]

[1]: Gabrieli, Francesco. "Greeks and Arabs in the Central Mediterranean Area." Dumbarton Oaks Papers 18 (1964): 57-65.


252 Rouran Khaganate absent Inferred Expert -
Rouran were nomads who did not have permanent settlements so no reason to use boats to travel from point A-B when they have horses to do so.
253 Akkadian Empire present Confident Expert -
Boats moving in and out of port Akkad for military purposes [1]

[1]: (Leverani 2014, 135) Liverani, Mario. Tabatabai, Soraia trans. 2014. The Ancient Near East. History, society and economy. Routledge. London.


254 Neo-Assyrian Empire present Confident Expert -
"Placed aboard light reed boats, tactical units became waterborne marines who used fire arrows and torches to burn out the enemy hiding among the bushes and reeds." [1]

[1]: (Gabriel 2002, 10) Richard A Gabriel. 2002. The Great Armies of Antiquity. Praeger. Westport.


255 Ur - Dynasty III present Confident Expert -
There were some boats which were used to "control of the foreign maritime trade" in Persian Gulf during the Ur-Nammu’s reign, but there is no detailed information concerning type of ship or existence of any special naval military formation. [1] Late 3rd - early 2md millennium BCE text: "He hurried to battle on the boat Ma-kar-nunta-ea". [2]

[1]: Hamblin 2006, 108

[2]: Ninurta’s exploits: a šir-sud (?) to Ninurta: c.1.6.2. The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature (ETCSL). etcsl.orinst.ox.ac.uk.


256 Uruk unknown