Home Region: Mexico (North America)

Epiclassic Basin of Mexico

650 CE 899 CE

D G SC WF R CC

EQ 2020 mx_basin_of_mexico_8 / MxEpicl

Preceding Entity:

No Polity found. Add one here.

Succeeding Entity:

No Polity found. Add one here.

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 Epiclassic or Late Classic period (c. 650-899 CE). In this period, Teotihuacan had diminished in size and lost its hold over the region; at the same time, none of the major centres at the time matched it: the populations of Cantona, Xochicalco, and Cacaxtla likely did not surpass 25-30,000. ^[1] Worship of the feathered snake became widespread throughout Mesoamerica, as indicated by the broad distribution of artistic representations of this deity or culture hero, and there was a renewed emphasis on human sacrifice in both ritual practice and artistic expression. ^[2]

[1]: (Carballo 2019: pers. comm. to E. Cioni and G. Nazzaro)

[2]: (Evans 2012: 123-124) Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/AN5IUQ7X.

General Variables

Identity and Location

Temporal Bounds

1 Duration

Political and Cultural Relations

Language

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 Military Level

1 Administrative Level

Professions

1 Professional Soldier

1 Professional Priesthood

1 Professional Military Officer

Bureaucracy Characteristics

1 Specialized Government Building

2 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

Special-purpose Sites

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

2 Sacred Text

1 Religious Literature

1 Practical Literature

1 Philosophy

1 Lists Tables and Classification

1 History

1 Fiction

1 Calendar

Information / Money

Information / Postal System

Information / Measurement System

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications

1 Modern Fortification

1 Fortified Camp

Military use of Metals

1 Steel

1 Iron

1 Copper

1 Bronze

Projectiles

1 Sling

1 Self Bow

1 Javelin

1 Composite Bow

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 Limb Protection

1 Leather Cloth

1 Helmet

1 Breastplate

Naval technology

Economy Variables (Luxury Goods) Coding in Progress.

Religion Variables Coding in Progress.

Crisis Consequence Cases

1 Crisis Consequence

Power Transitions Coding in Progress.

Instability Events Coding in Progress.

NGA Settlements:

Year Range	Epiclassic Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_8) was in:
(650 CE 899 CE)	Basin of Mexico

Home NGA: Basin of Mexico

General Variables

Identity and Location Epiclassic Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_8)

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

Temporal Bounds Epiclassic Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_8)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More
Duration	[650 CE ➜ 899 CE] Expert
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Political and Cultural Relations Epiclassic Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_8)

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

Language Epiclassic Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_8)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Language Genus	uncoded Undecided Expert	650 CE 899 CE
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Religion Epiclassic Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_8)

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

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale Epiclassic Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_8)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Population of the Largest Settlement	[25,000 to 30,000] people	650 CE 899 CE
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Polity Territory	- Suspected	650 CE 899 CE
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Polity Population	- Suspected	650 CE 899 CE
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Hierarchical Complexity Epiclassic Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_8)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Settlement Hierarchy	3	650 CE 899 CE
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Military Level	2	650 CE 899 CE
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Administrative Level	4	650 CE 899 CE
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Professions Epiclassic Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_8)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Soldier	Present Inferred	650 CE 899 CE
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Professional Priesthood	Present Inferred	650 CE 899 CE
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Professional Military Officer	Present Inferred	650 CE 899 CE
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Bureaucracy Characteristics Epiclassic Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_8)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Government Building	Present Inferred	650 CE 899 CE
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Merit Promotion	Present Uncertain	650 CE 899 CE
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Merit Promotion	Absent Uncertain	650 CE 899 CE
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Full Time Bureaucrat	Present Inferred	650 CE 899 CE
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Examination System	Absent	650 CE 899 CE
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Law Epiclassic Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_8)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Lawyer	Absent	650 CE 899 CE
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Judge	Unknown Suspected	650 CE 899 CE
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Formal Legal Code	Unknown Suspected	650 CE 899 CE
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Court	Absent	650 CE 899 CE
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Specialized Buildings: polity owned Epiclassic Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_8)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Market	Present	650 CE 899 CE
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Irrigation System	Unknown Suspected	650 CE 899 CE
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Food Storage Site	Unknown Suspected	650 CE 899 CE
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Drinking Water Supply System	Unknown Suspected	650 CE 899 CE
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Transport Infrastructure Epiclassic Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_8)

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

Special-purpose Sites Epiclassic Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_8)

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

Information / Writing System Epiclassic Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_8)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Written Record	Absent	650 CE 899 CE
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Script	Present	650 CE 899 CE
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Phonetic Alphabetic Writing	Absent	650 CE 899 CE
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Nonwritten Record	Present	650 CE 899 CE
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Mnemonic Device	Present	650 CE 899 CE
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Information / Kinds of Written Documents Epiclassic Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_8)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Scientific Literature	Present Inferred	650 CE 899 CE
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Sacred Text	Present Uncertain	650 CE 899 CE
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Sacred Text	Absent Uncertain	650 CE 899 CE
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Religious Literature	Absent	650 CE 899 CE
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Practical Literature	Absent	650 CE 899 CE
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Philosophy	Absent	650 CE 899 CE
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Lists Tables and Classification	Absent	650 CE 899 CE
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History	Absent	650 CE 899 CE
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Fiction	Absent	650 CE 899 CE
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Calendar	Present	650 CE 899 CE
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Information / Money Epiclassic Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_8)

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

Information / Postal System Epiclassic Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_8)

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

Information / Measurement System Epiclassic Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_8)

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

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications Epiclassic Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_8)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Modern Fortification	Absent	650 CE 899 CE
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Fortified Camp	Present	650 CE 899 CE
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Military use of Metals Epiclassic Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_8)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Steel	Absent	650 CE 899 CE
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Iron	Absent	650 CE 899 CE
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Copper	Absent	650 CE 899 CE
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Bronze	Absent	650 CE 899 CE
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Projectiles Epiclassic Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_8)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Sling	Present	650 CE 899 CE
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Self Bow	Absent Inferred	650 CE 899 CE
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Javelin	Absent Inferred	650 CE 899 CE
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Composite Bow	Absent Inferred	650 CE 899 CE
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Atlatl	Present	650 CE 899 CE
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Handheld weapons Epiclassic Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_8)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
War Club	Present	650 CE 899 CE
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Sword	Absent	650 CE 899 CE
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Spear	Present	650 CE 899 CE
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Polearm	Absent Inferred	650 CE 899 CE
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Dagger	Present	650 CE 899 CE
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Battle Axe	Present Inferred	650 CE 899 CE
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Animals used in warfare Epiclassic Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_8)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Horse	Absent	650 CE 899 CE
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Elephant	Absent	650 CE 899 CE
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Donkey	Absent	650 CE 899 CE
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Dog	Absent	650 CE 899 CE
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Camel	Absent	650 CE 899 CE
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Armor Epiclassic Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_8)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Limb Protection	Present	650 CE 899 CE
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Leather Cloth	Present	650 CE 899 CE
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Helmet	Present	650 CE 899 CE
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Breastplate	Present	650 CE 899 CE
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Naval technology Epiclassic Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_8)

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

Economy Variables (Luxury Goods)

Religion Variables

Moralizing Supernatural Punishment and Reward Epiclassic Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_8)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Moralizing Enforcement is Broad	Absent Disputed	650 CE 899 CE
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Moralizing Supernatural Concern is Primary	Absent Disputed	650 CE 899 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Agentic	Absent Disputed	650 CE 899 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement in This Life	Absent Disputed	650 CE 899 CE
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Moralizing Supernatural Punishment And Reward	Absent Disputed	650 CE 899 CE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Commoners	Absent Disputed	650 CE 899 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Targeted	Absent Disputed	650 CE 899 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement in Afterlife	Absent Disputed	650 CE 899 CE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Elites	Absent Disputed	650 CE 899 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement of Rulers	Absent Disputed	650 CE 899 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Certain	Absent Disputed	650 CE 899 CE
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Human Sacrifice Epiclassic Basin of Mexico (mx_basin_of_mexico_8)

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