Home Region: Turkestan (Central and Northern Eurasia)

Sarazm

3500 BCE 2000 BCE

D G SC WF R

EQ 2020 tj_sarasm / TjSaraz

Preceding Entity:

No Polity found. Add one here.

Succeeding Entity: Add one more here.

1800 BCE 1200 BCE Andronovo (kz_andronovo) [None]

General Description

This polity is named after an ancient settlement site at Sarazm, located in modern Tajikistan. The period runs from its initial settlement around 3500 BCE to the site’s abandonment c. 2000 BCE. ^[1] This period at Sarazm represents the first urban phase in Sogdiana and has yielded evidence of ceramic production, agriculture, irrigation and metallurgy. ^[2] Ceramic evidence, along with the presence of seashells, suggests that contacts were maintained with different areas of Central Asia. ^[3] ^[4]
Population and political organization
Due to the nature of the remaining evidence, the political organization of Sarazm is not known. While 100 hectares have been excavated at the site, the settlement area expanded and contracted throughout its existence, making a definite population estimate difficult for this period. ^[2]

[1]: (Anthony 2010, 420) Anthony, David W. 2010. The Horse, the Wheel, and Language: How Bronze-Age Riders from the Eurasian Steppes Shaped the Modern World. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/7MNNVQRA.

[2]: (de la Vaissière 2011) Vaissière, É. de la. 2011. “Sogdiana III: History and Archeology.” Encyclopædia Iranica. http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/sogdiana-iii-history-and-archeology. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/9AS4QQVB.

[3]: (Masson 1992, 232) Masson, V. M. 1992. “The Bronze Age In Khorasan and Transoxania.” In History of Civilizations of Central Asia. Volume I: The Dawn of Civilizations: Earliest Times to 700 B.C., edited by A. H. Dani and V. M. Masson, 225-46. Paris: UNESCO. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/JZ5DSUEB/q/masson.

[4]: (Isakov 1994, 4-5) Isakov, A. 1994. “Sarazm: An Agricultural Center of Ancient Sogdiana.” Bulletin of the Asia Institute 8: 1-12. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/NWVCFNW7.

General Variables

Identity and Location

1 Utm Zone

2 Original Name

1 Capital

Temporal Bounds

1 Duration

Political and Cultural Relations

1 Suprapolity Relations

1 Succeeding Entity

1 Scale of Supracultural Interaction

1 Polity Succession

1 Degree of Centralization

Language

1 Linguistic Family

Religion

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale

1 Population of the Largest Settlement

Hierarchical Complexity

1 Settlement Hierarchy

Professions

Bureaucracy Characteristics

1 Specialized Government Building

1 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

Transport Infrastructure

1 Road

1 Port

1 Canal

1 Bridge

Special-purpose Sites

1 Mines or Quarry

Information / Writing System

1 Written Record

1 Script

1 Phonetic Alphabetic Writing

Information / Kinds of Written Documents

1 Scientific Literature

1 Sacred Text

1 Religious Literature

1 Practical Literature

1 Philosophy

1 Lists Tables and Classification

1 History

1 Fiction

1 Calendar

Information / Money

1 Paper Currency

1 Indigenous Coin

1 Foreign Coin

1 Article

1 Debt And Credit Structure

Information / Postal System

1 Postal Station

1 General Postal Service

1 Courier

Information / Measurement System

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications

1 Wooden Palisade

1 Stone Walls Non Mortared

1 Stone Walls Mortared

1 Settlements in a Defensive Position

1 Modern Fortification

1 Moat

1 Fortified Camp

1 Earth Rampart

1 Ditch

1 Complex Fortification

1 Long Wall

Military use of Metals

1 Steel

1 Iron

1 Copper

1 Bronze

Projectiles

1 Tension Siege Engine

1 Sling Siege Engine

1 Sling

1 Self Bow

1 Javelin

1 Handheld Firearm

1 Gunpowder Siege Artillery

1 Crossbow

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 Wood Bark Etc

1 Shield

1 Scaled Armor

1 Plate Armor

1 Limb Protection

1 Leather Cloth

1 Laminar Armor

1 Helmet

1 Chainmail

1 Breastplate

Naval technology

1 Specialized Military Vessel

1 Small Vessels Canoes Etc

1 Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service

Economy Variables (Luxury Goods) Coding in Progress.

Religion Variables Coding in Progress.

Crisis Consequence Cases Coding in Progress.

Power Transitions Coding in Progress.

Instability Events Coding in Progress.

NGA Settlements:

Year Range	Sarazm (tj_sarasm) was in:
(3500 BCE 2001 BCE)	Sogdiana

Home NGA: Sogdiana

General Variables

Identity and Location Sarazm (tj_sarasm)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Utm Zone	42 S	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Original Name	Sarazm	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Original Name	Sarazm	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Capital	Sarazm	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Temporal Bounds Sarazm (tj_sarasm)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More
Duration	[3500 BCE ➜ 2000 BCE]
Loading...

Political and Cultural Relations Sarazm (tj_sarasm)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Suprapolity Relations	none	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Succeeding Entity	Andronovo	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Scale of Supracultural Interaction	[750,000 to 1,000,000] km²	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Succeeding Entity 1800 BCE 1200 BCE	Andronovo (kz_andronovo) [None]
Loading...

Degree of Centralization	quasi-polity	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Language Sarazm (tj_sarasm)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Linguistic Family	NO_VALUE_ON_WIKI	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Religion Sarazm (tj_sarasm)

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

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale Sarazm (tj_sarasm)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Population of the Largest Settlement	[1,750 to 7,000] people	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Hierarchical Complexity Sarazm (tj_sarasm)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Settlement Hierarchy	[2 to 3]	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Professions Sarazm (tj_sarasm)

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

Bureaucracy Characteristics Sarazm (tj_sarasm)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Government Building	Absent Inferred	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Merit Promotion	Unknown Suspected	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Full Time Bureaucrat	Unknown Suspected	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Examination System	Unknown Suspected	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Law Sarazm (tj_sarasm)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Lawyer	Unknown Suspected	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Judge	Unknown Suspected	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Formal Legal Code	Unknown Suspected	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Court	Unknown Suspected	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Specialized Buildings: polity owned Sarazm (tj_sarasm)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Market	Present Inferred	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Irrigation System	Present Inferred	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Food Storage Site	Present Inferred	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Transport Infrastructure Sarazm (tj_sarasm)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Road	Unknown Suspected	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Port	Unknown Suspected	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Canal	Unknown Suspected	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Bridge	Unknown Suspected	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Special-purpose Sites Sarazm (tj_sarasm)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Mines or Quarry	Present Inferred	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Information / Writing System Sarazm (tj_sarasm)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Written Record	Absent	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Script	Absent	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Phonetic Alphabetic Writing	Absent	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Information / Kinds of Written Documents Sarazm (tj_sarasm)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Scientific Literature	Absent	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Sacred Text	Absent	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Religious Literature	Absent	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Practical Literature	Absent	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Philosophy	Absent	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Lists Tables and Classification	Absent	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

History	Absent	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Fiction	Absent	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Calendar	Absent	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Information / Money Sarazm (tj_sarasm)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Paper Currency	Absent	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Indigenous Coin	Absent	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Foreign Coin	Absent	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Article	Present Inferred	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Debt And Credit Structure	Uncoded Undecided	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Information / Postal System Sarazm (tj_sarasm)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Postal Station	Unknown Suspected	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

General Postal Service	Unknown Suspected	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Courier	Unknown Suspected	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Information / Measurement System Sarazm (tj_sarasm)

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

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications Sarazm (tj_sarasm)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wooden Palisade	Unknown Suspected	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Stone Walls Non Mortared	Absent Inferred	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Stone Walls Mortared	Unknown Suspected	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Settlements in a Defensive Position	Unknown Suspected	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Modern Fortification	Absent	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Moat	Unknown Suspected	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Fortified Camp	Unknown Suspected	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Earth Rampart	Unknown Suspected	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Ditch	Unknown Suspected	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Complex Fortification	Absent Inferred	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Long Wall	unknown Suspected	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Military use of Metals Sarazm (tj_sarasm)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Steel	Unknown Suspected	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Iron	Unknown Suspected	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Copper	Present Inferred	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Bronze	Present Inferred	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Projectiles Sarazm (tj_sarasm)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Tension Siege Engine	Unknown Suspected	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Sling Siege Engine	Absent	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Sling	Unknown Suspected	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Self Bow	Present Inferred	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Javelin	Unknown Suspected	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Handheld Firearm	Absent	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Gunpowder Siege Artillery	Absent	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Crossbow	Unknown Suspected	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Composite Bow	Unknown Suspected	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Atlatl	Unknown Suspected	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Handheld weapons Sarazm (tj_sarasm)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
War Club	Present Inferred	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Sword	Unknown Suspected	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Spear	Unknown Suspected	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Polearm	Unknown Suspected	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Dagger	Present	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Battle Axe	Present Inferred	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Animals used in warfare Sarazm (tj_sarasm)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Horse	Unknown Suspected	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Elephant	Unknown Suspected	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Donkey	Unknown Suspected	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Dog	Unknown Suspected	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Camel	Unknown Suspected	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Armor Sarazm (tj_sarasm)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wood Bark Etc	Unknown Suspected	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Shield	Unknown Suspected	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Scaled Armor	Unknown Suspected	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Plate Armor	Unknown Suspected	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Limb Protection	Unknown Suspected	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Leather Cloth	Unknown Suspected	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Laminar Armor	Unknown Suspected	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Helmet	Unknown Suspected	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Chainmail	Unknown Suspected	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Breastplate	Unknown Suspected	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Naval technology Sarazm (tj_sarasm)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Military Vessel	Unknown Suspected	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Small Vessels Canoes Etc	Unknown Suspected	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service	Unknown Suspected	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Economy Variables (Luxury Goods)

Religion Variables

Moralizing Supernatural Punishment and Reward Sarazm (tj_sarasm)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Moralizing Enforcement is Broad	Unknown	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Moralizing Supernatural Concern is Primary	Unknown	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Moralizing Enforcement is Agentic	Unknown	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Moralizing Enforcement in This Life	Unknown	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Moralizing Supernatural Punishment And Reward	Unknown	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Moralizing Religion Adopted by Commoners	Unknown	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Moralizing Enforcement is Targeted	Unknown	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Moralizing Enforcement in Afterlife	Unknown	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Moralizing Religion Adopted by Elites	Unknown	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Moralizing Enforcement of Rulers	Unknown	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Moralizing Enforcement is Certain	Unknown	3500 BCE 2000 BCE
Loading...

Human Sacrifice Sarazm (tj_sarasm)

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