Home Region: Southeastern Europe (Europe)

Prepalatial Crete

3000 BCE 1900 BCE

D G SC WF R

EQ 2020 gr_crete_pre_palace / GrCrPre

Preceding Entity: Add one more here.

7000 BCE 3000 BCE Neolithic Crete (gr_crete_nl) [continuity]

Succeeding Entity: Add one more here.

1900 BCE 1700 BCE Old Palace Crete (gr_crete_old_palace) [continuity]

General Description

The Cretan Prepalatial era is divided in Early Minoan I (3000-2700 BCE), Early Minoan IIA (2700-2400 BCE), Early Minoan IIB (2400-2200 BCE), Early Minoan III (2200-2000 BCE) and Middle Minoan IA (2000-1900 BCE) periods. ^[1]
Population and political organization
Population estimates for the entire island at this time do not appear to be available in the literature. However, Whitelaw has estimated the population of Knossos, Crete’s largest centre, at 2,600 to 11,000 inhabitants, that of Phaistos at 1,660 to 5,400, and that of Malia at 1,500 to 3,190. ^[2]

[1]: (Shelmerdine 2008, 4) Cynthia W. Shelmerdine. 2008. ’Background, sources, and methods’ in The Cambridge Companion to the Aegean Bronze Age, edited by Cynthia W. Shelmerdine. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

[2]: (Whitelaw 2012, 156) Todd Whitelaw. 2012. ’The urbanization of prehistoric Crete: settlement perspectives on Minoan state formation’, in Back to the Beginning: Reassessing Social and Political Complexity on Crete during the Early and Middle Bronze Age, edited by I. Schope, P. Tomkins and J. Driessen. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

General Variables

Identity and Location

1 Utm Zone

1 Original Name

1 Capital

1 Alternative Name

Temporal Bounds

1 Peak Years

1 Duration

Political and Cultural Relations

1 Supracultural Entity

1 Succeeding Entity

1 Relationship to preceding Entity

2 Polity Succession

1 Degree of Centralization

Language

1 Linguistic Family

1 Language

Religion

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale

1 Population of the Largest Settlement

1 Polity Population

Hierarchical Complexity

2 Settlement Hierarchy

1 Religious Level

1 Administrative Level

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

1 Drinking Water Supply System

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

1 Nonwritten Record

1 Mnemonic Device

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 Token

1 Precious Metal

1 Paper Currency

1 Indigenous Coin

1 Foreign Coin

1 Article

Information / Postal System

1 Postal Station

1 General Postal Service

1 Courier

Information / Measurement System

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications

1 Stone Walls Non Mortared

1 Stone Walls Mortared

1 Settlements in a Defensive Position

1 Modern Fortification

1 Moat

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	Prepalatial Crete (gr_crete_pre_palace) was in:
(3000 BCE 1901 BCE)	Crete

Home NGA: Crete

General Variables

Identity and Location Prepalatial Crete (gr_crete_pre_palace)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Utm Zone	35 S	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Original Name	Prepalatial Crete	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Capital	None (Absent Capital)	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Alternative Name	Early Bronze Age Crete	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Temporal Bounds Prepalatial Crete (gr_crete_pre_palace)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More
Peak Years	[2300 BCE ➜ 1900 BCE]
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Duration	[3000 BCE ➜ 1900 BCE]
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Political and Cultural Relations Prepalatial Crete (gr_crete_pre_palace)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Supracultural Entity	Cretan Broze Age Civilization	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Succeeding Entity	Protopalatial Crete	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Relationship to Preceding Entity	continuity	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Succeeding Entity 1900 BCE 1700 BCE	Old Palace Crete (gr_crete_old_palace) [continuity]
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Preceding Entity 7000 BCE 3000 BCE	Neolithic Crete (gr_crete_nl) [continuity]
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Degree of Centralization	quasi-polity	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Language Prepalatial Crete (gr_crete_pre_palace)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Linguistic Family	NO_VALUE_ON_WIKI	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Language	unknown Suspected	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Religion Prepalatial Crete (gr_crete_pre_palace)

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

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale Prepalatial Crete (gr_crete_pre_palace)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Population of the Largest Settlement	[2,600 to 11,100] people	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Polity Population	- Undecided	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Hierarchical Complexity Prepalatial Crete (gr_crete_pre_palace)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Settlement Hierarchy	[1 to 2]	3000 BCE 2200 BCE
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Settlement Hierarchy	[1 to 3]	2200 BCE 1900 BCE
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Religious Level	1	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Administrative Level	[1 to 2]	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Professions Prepalatial Crete (gr_crete_pre_palace)

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

Bureaucracy Characteristics Prepalatial Crete (gr_crete_pre_palace)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Government Building	Present Inferred	2400 BCE 1900 BCE
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Merit Promotion	Absent	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Full Time Bureaucrat	Unknown Suspected	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Examination System	Absent	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Law Prepalatial Crete (gr_crete_pre_palace)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Lawyer	Absent	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Judge	Absent	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Formal Legal Code	Absent	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Court	Absent	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Specialized Buildings: polity owned Prepalatial Crete (gr_crete_pre_palace)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Market	Absent	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Irrigation System	Unknown Suspected	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Food Storage Site	Absent	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Drinking Water Supply System	Absent	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Transport Infrastructure Prepalatial Crete (gr_crete_pre_palace)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Road	Unknown Suspected	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Port	Present	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Canal	Absent	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Bridge	Unknown Suspected	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Special-purpose Sites Prepalatial Crete (gr_crete_pre_palace)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Mines or Quarry	Present	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Information / Writing System Prepalatial Crete (gr_crete_pre_palace)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Written Record	Absent	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Script	Absent	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Phonetic Alphabetic Writing	Absent	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Nonwritten Record	Unknown Suspected	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Mnemonic Device	Unknown Suspected	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Information / Kinds of Written Documents Prepalatial Crete (gr_crete_pre_palace)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Scientific Literature	Absent	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Sacred Text	Absent	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Religious Literature	Absent	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Practical Literature	Absent	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Philosophy	Absent	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Lists Tables and Classification	Absent	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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History	Absent	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Fiction	Absent	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Calendar	Absent	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Information / Money Prepalatial Crete (gr_crete_pre_palace)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Token	Present Inferred	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Precious Metal	Present Inferred	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Paper Currency	Absent	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Indigenous Coin	Absent	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Foreign Coin	Absent	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Article	Present Inferred	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Information / Postal System Prepalatial Crete (gr_crete_pre_palace)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Postal Station	Absent	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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General Postal Service	Absent	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Courier	Absent	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Information / Measurement System Prepalatial Crete (gr_crete_pre_palace)

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

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications Prepalatial Crete (gr_crete_pre_palace)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Stone Walls Non Mortared	Present	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Stone Walls Mortared	Present	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Settlements in a Defensive Position	Present	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Modern Fortification	Absent	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Moat	Absent	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Complex Fortification	Absent	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Long Wall	absent	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Military use of Metals Prepalatial Crete (gr_crete_pre_palace)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Steel	Absent	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Iron	Absent	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Copper	Unknown Suspected	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Bronze	Unknown Suspected	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Projectiles Prepalatial Crete (gr_crete_pre_palace)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Tension Siege Engine	Absent	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Sling Siege Engine	Absent	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Sling	Unknown Suspected	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Self Bow	Unknown Suspected	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Javelin	Unknown Suspected	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Handheld Firearm	Absent	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Gunpowder Siege Artillery	Absent	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Crossbow	Absent	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Composite Bow	Unknown Suspected	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Atlatl	Unknown Suspected	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Handheld weapons Prepalatial Crete (gr_crete_pre_palace)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
War Club	Unknown Suspected	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Sword	Present	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Spear	Present	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Polearm	Absent	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Dagger	Present	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Battle Axe	Present	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Animals used in warfare Prepalatial Crete (gr_crete_pre_palace)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Horse	Unknown Suspected	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Elephant	Absent	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Donkey	Unknown Suspected	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Dog	Unknown Suspected	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Camel	Absent	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Armor Prepalatial Crete (gr_crete_pre_palace)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wood Bark Etc	Unknown Suspected	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Shield	Unknown Suspected	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Scaled Armor	Absent	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Plate Armor	Absent	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Limb Protection	Absent	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Leather Cloth	Unknown Suspected	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Laminar Armor	Absent	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Helmet	Unknown Suspected	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Chainmail	Absent	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Breastplate	Unknown Suspected	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Naval technology Prepalatial Crete (gr_crete_pre_palace)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Military Vessel	Unknown Suspected	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Small Vessels Canoes Etc	Present	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service	Unknown Suspected	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Economy Variables (Luxury Goods)

Religion Variables

Moralizing Supernatural Punishment and Reward Prepalatial Crete (gr_crete_pre_palace)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Moralizing Enforcement is Broad	Unknown	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Moralizing Supernatural Concern is Primary	Unknown	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Agentic	Unknown	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement in This Life	Unknown	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Moralizing Supernatural Punishment And Reward	Unknown	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Commoners	Unknown	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Targeted	Unknown	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement in Afterlife	Unknown	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Elites	Unknown	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement of Rulers	Unknown	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Certain	Unknown	3000 BCE 1900 BCE
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Human Sacrifice Prepalatial Crete (gr_crete_pre_palace)

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