Home Region:  Northeast Africa (Africa)

Egypt - Dynasty II

2900 BCE 2687 BCE
EQ 2020  eg_dynasty_2 / EgDyn2*
Preceding Entity: Add one more here.
3100 BCE 2900 BCE Egypt - Dynasty I (eg_dynasty_1)    [continuity]

Succeeding Entity: Add one more here.
2650 BCE 2350 BCE Egypt - Classic Old Kingdom (eg_old_k_1)    [None]

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  General Description  
The Second Dynasty of Egypt (c. 2900‒2687 BCE) was a relatively geographically constricted state, centred near the Nile delta of Egypt and extending as far south as Aswan and the First Cataract of the Nile. Founded by Hotepsekhemwy, the kings of the Second Dynasty initially ruled over a centralized state, but as the period progressed they had to contend with disorder and civil war that lasted until the last ruler, Khasekhemwy (c. 2714‒2687 BCE). [1] [2] The restoration of central authority after this period ushered in the classic Old Kingdom period, widely considered a high point of ancient civilization.
Population and political organization
Controlled by a god-king who presided over an administration with specialized overseers, [3] Memphis is considered the main administrative centre of the Early Dynastic period because tombs of administrative officials are located nearby. [4] Also known as the White Walls, [5] apparently after the colour of the palace enclosure walls, [6] Memphis probably had at least 6,000 residents at a population density of 193 per hectare. [7] The government of the Early Dynasties is thought to have developed significant divisions of labour and a more hierarchical structure under King Djer, who introduced permanent institutions, [8] although Egyptologist Hratch Papazian stresses that a true hierarchical bureaucracy emerged ’only during the latter parts of the Old Kingdom’. [9] Writing in this period was now well established; it had been present since the late Predynastic period (’Dynasty 0’), [10] when hieroglyphs were used for labels such as those found in the tomb of U-j at Abydos, dating to around 3150 BCE. [11]
Regional centres of the Second Dynasty included Hierakonpolis, Abydos, and minor centres further south at Naga-el-Deir and Aswan. Evidence for a system of territorial organization comes from thousands of seal stamps discovered in the tomb of Khasekhemwy, the last king of the dynasty; they mention some historical provinces along with ’administrative titles and the names of the king’. [12] However, Second-Dynasty Egypt was likely not yet divided into the clearly demarcated provinces, controlled by local governors, that we find in later periods. [13] Abydos appears to have been the most significant cult centre. Its royal cemetery reveals the increasing elaboration of the ideology of kingship through the mortuary cult, and its monumental architecture has been interpreted as the expression of a ’state religion’ on a grander scale than in previous periods. [14]
The Egyptian population during the Early Dynastic period is difficult to determine, but the archaeologist Bruce Trigger estimated that there could have been over 2 million people living in the Nile Valley at this time. [15]

[1]: (El-Shahawy 2005, 31) A El-Shahawy. 2005. The Egyptian Museum in Cairo. Cairo: American University in Cairo Press.

[2]: (Dodson 2016, 9) Aidan Dodson. 2016. ’Go West: On the Ancient Means of Approach to the Saqqara Necropolis’, in Mummies, Magic and Medicine in Ancient Egypt: Multidisciplinary Essays for Rosalie David, edited by Campbell Price, Roger Forshaw, Andrew Chamberlain and Paul Nicholson, 3-18. Manchester: Manchester University Press.

[3]: (Moreno García 2014) Juan Carlos Moreno García. 2014. ’Invaders or Just Herders? Libyans in Egypt in the Third and Second Millennia BCE’. World Archaeology 46: 610-23.

[4]: (Bard 2000, 64-65) Kathryn A. Bard. 2000. ’The Emergence of the Egyptian State (c. 3200-2686 BC)’, in The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt, edited by Ian Shaw, 57-82. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

[5]: (Malek 2000, 104) Jaromir Malek. 2000. ’The Old Kingdom (c. 2686-2160 BC)’, in The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt, edited by Ian Shaw, 83-107. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

[6]: (Thompson 2012, 1) Dorothy J. Thompson. 2012. Memphis under the Ptolemies. 2nd ed. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

[7]: (Mumford 2010, 331) Gregory D. Mumford. 2010. ’Settlements - Distribution, Structure, Architecture: Pharaonic’, in A Companion to Ancient Egypt, Volume 1, edited by Alan B Lloyd, 326-49. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell.

[8]: (Engel 2013, 20-38) Eva-Maria Engel. 2013. ’The Organisation of a Nascent State: Egypt until the Beginning of the 4th Dynasty’, in Ancient Egyptian Administration, edited by Juan Carlos Moreno García, 19-40. Leiden: Brill.

[9]: (Papazian 2013, 67-68) Hratch Papazian. 2013. ’Departments, Treasuries, Granaries and Work Centers’, in Ancient Egyptian Administration, edited by Juan Carlos Moreno García, 41-83. Leiden: Brill.

[10]: (Bard 2000, 75) Kathryn A. Bard. 2000. ’The Emergence of the Egyptian State (c. 3200-2686 BC)’, in The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt, edited by Ian Shaw, 57-82. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

[11]: (Bard 2000, 60) Kathryn A. Bard. 2000. ’The Emergence of the Egyptian State (c. 3200-2686 BC)’, in The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt, edited by Ian Shaw, 57-82. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

[12]: (Moreno García 2013, 190) Juan Carlos Moreno García. 2013. ’Building the Pharaonic State: Territory, Elite, and Power in Ancient Egypt during the 3rd Millennium BCE’, in Experiencing Power - Generating Authority: Cosmos and Politics in Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, edited by J. A. Hill, Ph. H. Jones, A. J. Morales, 185-217. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press.

[13]: (Moreno Garcia 2013, 190-192) Juan Carlos Moreno Garcia. ’Building the Pharaonic state: Territory, elite, and power in ancient Egypt in the 3rd millennium BCE’ in Ancient Egyptian Administration edited by Juan Carlos Moreno Garcia. Leiden: Brill.

[14]: (Bard 2000, 66-67) Kathryn A. Bard. 2000. ’The Emergence of the Egyptian State (c. 3200-2686 BC)’, in The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt, edited by Ian Shaw, 57-82. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

[15]: (Trigger 1983, 51) Bruce G. Trigger. 1983. ’The Rise of Egyptian Civilization’, in Ancient Egypt: A Social History edited by Bruce G. Trigger, Barry J. Kemp, David O’Connor and Alan B Lloyd, 1-70. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Economy Variables (Luxury Goods) Coding in Progress.
Religion Variables Coding in Progress.
Crisis Consequence Cases Coding in Progress.
Power Transitions Coding in Progress.

NGA Settlements:

Year Range Egypt - Dynasty II (eg_dynasty_2) was in:
 (2900 BCE 2651 BCE) Upper Egypt
Home NGA: Upper Egypt

General Variables
Identity and Location Egypt - Dynasty II (eg_dynasty_2)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Utm Zone 36 R 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Original Name Egypt - Dynasty II 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Capital 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Alternative Name Pre-dynastic Egypt 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Alternative Name 2nd Dynasty 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Alternative Name Dynasty II 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Temporal Bounds Egypt - Dynasty II (eg_dynasty_2)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Duration
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Political and Cultural Relations Egypt - Dynasty II (eg_dynasty_2)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Suprapolity Relations none 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Succeeding Entity Egypt - Classic Old Kingdom 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Relationship to Preceding Entity continuity 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Succeeding Entity
2650 BCE 2350 BCE
Egypt - Classic Old Kingdom (eg_old_k_1)   [None]  Expert
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Preceding Entity
3100 BCE 2900 BCE
Egypt - Dynasty I (eg_dynasty_1)   [continuity] 
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Degree of Centralization 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Language Egypt - Dynasty II (eg_dynasty_2)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Linguistic Family NO_VALUE_ON_WIKI 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Language 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Religion Egypt - Dynasty II (eg_dynasty_2)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Social Complexity Variables
Social Scale Egypt - Dynasty II (eg_dynasty_2)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Population of the Largest Settlement 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Polity Territory 2900 BCE 2801 BCE
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Polity Territory 2800 BCE 2701 BCE
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Polity Territory 2700 BCE 2687 BCE
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Polity Population 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Hierarchical Complexity Egypt - Dynasty II (eg_dynasty_2)
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Settlement Hierarchy 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Religious Level 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Military Level 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Administrative Level 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Professions Egypt - Dynasty II (eg_dynasty_2)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Professional Soldier 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Professional Priesthood 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Professional Military Officer Absent Inferred 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Bureaucracy Characteristics Egypt - Dynasty II (eg_dynasty_2)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Specialized Government Building 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Merit Promotion 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Full Time Bureaucrat 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Examination System Absent Inferred 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Law Egypt - Dynasty II (eg_dynasty_2)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Professional Lawyer 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Judge 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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2900 BCE  2687 BCE
Court 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Specialized Buildings: polity owned Egypt - Dynasty II (eg_dynasty_2)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Market 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Irrigation System 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Food Storage Site 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Drinking Water Supply System 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Entertainment Building 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Transport Infrastructure Egypt - Dynasty II (eg_dynasty_2)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Road 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Port 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Canal 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Bridge 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Special-purpose Sites Egypt - Dynasty II (eg_dynasty_2)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Mines or Quarry 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Information / Writing System Egypt - Dynasty II (eg_dynasty_2)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Written Record 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Script 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Phonetic Alphabetic Writing 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Nonwritten Record 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Non Phonetic Writing 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Information / Kinds of Written Documents Egypt - Dynasty II (eg_dynasty_2)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Scientific Literature 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Scientific Literature 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Sacred Text Present Inferred 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Religious Literature 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Practical Literature 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Philosophy 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Lists Tables and Classification 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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History Absent Inferred 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Fiction 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Calendar 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Information / Money Egypt - Dynasty II (eg_dynasty_2)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Token Unknown Suspected 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Precious Metal Present Inferred 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Paper Currency Absent Inferred 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Indigenous Coin Absent Inferred 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Foreign Coin Absent Inferred 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Article 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Information / Postal System Egypt - Dynasty II (eg_dynasty_2)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Postal Station Absent Inferred 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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General Postal Service Absent Inferred 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Courier 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Information / Measurement System Egypt - Dynasty II (eg_dynasty_2)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)
Fortifications Egypt - Dynasty II (eg_dynasty_2)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Wooden Palisade Present Uncertain 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Wooden Palisade Absent Uncertain 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Stone Walls Non Mortared 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Stone Walls Mortared 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Stone Walls Mortared 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Settlements in a Defensive Position 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Modern Fortification Absent 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Moat Present Uncertain 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Moat Absent Uncertain 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Fortified Camp 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Earth Rampart Present 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Ditch Present Uncertain 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Ditch Absent Uncertain 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Complex Fortification 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Long Wall absent 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Military use of Metals Egypt - Dynasty II (eg_dynasty_2)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Steel Absent 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Iron Absent 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Copper 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Bronze 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Projectiles Egypt - Dynasty II (eg_dynasty_2)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Tension Siege Engine 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Sling Siege Engine 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Sling 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Self Bow 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Javelin 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Handheld Firearm 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Gunpowder Siege Artillery 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Crossbow 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Composite Bow 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Atlatl 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Handheld weapons Egypt - Dynasty II (eg_dynasty_2)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
War Club 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Sword 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Spear 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Polearm 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Dagger 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Battle Axe 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Animals used in warfare Egypt - Dynasty II (eg_dynasty_2)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Horse 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Donkey 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Dog Absent 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Camel 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Armor Egypt - Dynasty II (eg_dynasty_2)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Wood Bark Etc 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Shield 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Scaled Armor 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Plate Armor 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Limb Protection 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Leather Cloth 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Laminar Armor 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Helmet 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Chainmail 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Breastplate 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Naval technology Egypt - Dynasty II (eg_dynasty_2)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Specialized Military Vessel Present Inferred 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Small Vessels Canoes Etc Present 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service Unknown Suspected 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Economy Variables (Luxury Goods)
Religion Variables
Moralizing Supernatural Punishment and Reward Egypt - Dynasty II (eg_dynasty_2)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Moralizing Enforcement is Broad 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Moralizing Supernatural Concern is Primary 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Agentic Present 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Agentic 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement in This Life Unknown 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement in This Life Unknown 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Moralizing Supernatural Punishment And Reward 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Commoners 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Targeted Unknown 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement in Afterlife 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Elites 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement of Rulers 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Certain 2900 BCE  2687 BCE
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Human Sacrifice Egypt - Dynasty II (eg_dynasty_2)
Variable Coded Value / Certainty Tags Year(s) See More
Instability Data
Power Transitions