Section: Social Complexity
Subsection: Writing Systems

Non Phonetic Writing

Talking about writing systems, this refers to the kind of script  
Contributors: Jenny, Majid, Peter

Variable Definition
Polity The Seshat Polity Name
Year(s) The years for which we have the data. [negative = BCE]
Confidence Inferred : The value is inferred.
Suspected : The value is suspected (Expert Check Needed).
Evidenced : The value is backed up by sufficient evidence.
Disputed? No : No disagreement among scholars.
Yes : There is disagreement among scholars.
Expert? : Not yet Checked by a Seshat Expert.
: Checked and accepted by a Seshat Expert (or RA).

Variable Definition
non_phonetic_writing The absence or presence of non phonetic writing for a polity.

# Polity   Year(s)   Non Phonetic Writing   Confidence     Disputed?     Expert?   Edit
1
Xianbei Confederation
100 CE 229 CE
absent
Inferred No Edit
2
Xianbei Confederation
230 CE 250 CE
present
Inferred No Edit
3
Rouran Khaganate
300 CE 499 CE
absent
Inferred No Edit
4
Rouran Khaganate
500 CE 555 CE
present
Inferred No Edit
5
Early Modern Sierra Leone
1650 CE 1832 CE
absent
Inferred No Edit
6
Early Modern Sierra Leone
1833 CE 1896 CE
present
Confident No Edit
7
Chuuk - Late Truk
1886 CE 1914 CE
absent
Confident No Edit
8
Chuuk - Late Truk
1915 CE 1948 CE
present
Confident No Edit
9
Vakataka Kingdom
-
absent
Confident No Edit
10
Vijayanagara Empire
-
absent
Confident No Edit
11
Kassite Babylonia
-
absent
Confident No Edit
12
Bazi Dynasty
-
absent
Confident No Edit
13
Dynasty of E
-
absent
Confident No Edit
14
Second Dynasty of Isin
-
absent
Confident No Edit
15
Ak Koyunlu
-
absent
Confident No Edit
16
Buyid Confederation
-
absent
Confident No Edit
17
Ilkhanate
-
absent
Confident No Edit
18
Elam - Shutrukid Period
-
absent
Confident No Edit
19
Elam I
-
absent
Confident No Edit
20
Jaffna
-
absent
Confident No Edit
21
La Tene C2-D
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
22
French Kingdom - Early Valois
-
absent
Confident No Edit
23
French Kingdom - Late Valois
-
absent
Confident No Edit
24
Abbasid Caliphate I
-
absent
Confident No Edit
25
Abbasid Caliphate II
-
absent
Confident No Edit
26
La Tene A-B1
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
27
Greco-Bactrian Kingdom
-
absent
Confident No Edit
28
Hephthalites
-
absent
Confident No Edit
29
Kushan Empire
-
absent
Confident No Edit
30
Jin Dynasty
-
present
Confident No Edit
31
Western Han Empire
-
present
Confident No Edit
32
Ayyubid Sultanate
-
absent
Confident No Edit
33
Badarian
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
34
Egypt - Mamluk Sultanate I
-
absent
Confident No Edit
35
Egypt - Mamluk Sultanate III
-
absent
Confident No Edit
36
Egypt - Mamluk Sultanate II
-
absent
Confident No Edit
37
Ptolemaic Kingdom I
-
present
Confident No Edit
38
Ptolemaic Kingdom II
-
present
Confident No Edit
39
Egypt - Tulunid-Ikhshidid Period
-
absent
Confident No Edit
40
Spanish Empire I
-
absent
Confident No Edit
41
Beaker Culture
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
42
French Kingdom - Early Bourbon
-
absent
Confident No Edit
43
Carolingian Empire I
-
absent
Confident No Edit
44
Carolingian Empire II
-
absent
Confident No Edit
45
Hallstatt A-B1
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
46
Hallstatt B2-3
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
47
Hallstatt C
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
48
Hallstatt D
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
49
Kalingga Kingdom
-
absent
Confident No Edit
50
Kediri Kingdom
-
absent
Confident No Edit
51
Majapahit Kingdom
-
absent
Confident No Edit
52
Mataram Sultanate
-
absent
Confident No Edit
53
Medang Kingdom
-
absent
Confident No Edit
54
Kingdom of Ayodhya
-
absent
Confident No Edit
55
Deccan - Iron Age
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
56
Deccan - Neolithic
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
57
Gahadavala Dynasty
-
absent
Confident No Edit
58
Western Jin
-
present
Confident No Edit
59
Jin
-
present
Confident No Edit
60
Great Ming
-
present
Confident No Edit
61
Northern Song
-
present
Confident No Edit
62
Northern Wei
-
present
Confident No Edit
63
Early Qing
-
present
Confident No Edit
64
Sui Dynasty
-
present
Confident No Edit
65
Tang Dynasty I
-
present
Confident No Edit
66
Tang Dynasty II
-
present
Confident No Edit
67
Early Wei Dynasty
-
present
Confident No Edit
68
Western Zhou
-
present
Confident No Edit
69
Great Yuan
-
present
Confident No Edit
70
Egypt - Dynasty I
-
present
Confident No Edit
71
Egypt - Dynasty II
-
present
Confident No Edit
72
Egypt - Inter-Occupation Period
-
present
Confident No Edit
73
Egypt - Middle Kingdom
-
present
Confident No Edit
74
Egypt - New Kingdom Ramesside Period
-
present
Confident No Edit
75
Egypt - New Kingdom Thutmosid Period
-
present
Confident No Edit
76
Egypt - Classic Old Kingdom
-
present
Confident No Edit
77
Egypt - Late Old Kingdom
-
present
Confident No Edit
78
Egypt - Period of the Regions
-
present
Confident No Edit
79
Egypt - Saite Period
-
present
Confident No Edit
80
Egypt - Thebes-Hyksos Period
-
present
Confident No Edit
81
Egypt - Thebes-Libyan Period
-
present
Confident No Edit
82
Atlantic Complex
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
83
French Kingdom - Late Bourbon
-
absent
Confident No Edit
84
Proto-French Kingdom
-
absent
Confident No Edit
85
French Kingdom - Late Capetian
-
absent
Confident No Edit
86
Early Merovingian
-
absent
Confident No Edit
87
Proto-Carolingian
-
absent
Confident No Edit
88
Middle Merovingian
-
absent
Confident No Edit
89
Akkadian Empire
-
absent
Confident No Edit
90
Elam II
-
absent
Confident No Edit
91
Elam III
-
absent
Confident No Edit
92
Parthian Empire I
-
absent
Confident No Edit
93
Parthian Empire II
-
absent
Confident No Edit
94
Safavid Empire
-
absent
Confident No Edit
95
Sasanid Empire I
-
absent
Confident No Edit
96
Sasanid Empire II
-
absent
Confident No Edit
97
Seleucids
-
absent
Confident No Edit
98
Seljuk Sultanate
-
absent
Confident No Edit
99
Elam - Shimashki Period
-
absent
Confident No Edit
100
Elam - Late Sukkalmah
-
absent
Confident No Edit
101
Latium - Iron Age
-
absent
Confident No Edit
102
Ostrogothic Kingdom
-
absent
Confident No Edit
103
Rome - Republic of St Peter II
-
absent
Confident No Edit
104
Papal States - High Medieval Period
-
absent
Confident No Edit
105
Papal States - Medieval Period I
-
absent
Confident No Edit
106
Papal States - Medieval Period II
-
absent
Confident No Edit
107
Papal States - Renaissance Period
-
absent
Confident No Edit
108
Exarchate of Ravenna
-
absent
Confident No Edit
109
Early Roman Republic
-
absent
Confident No Edit
110
Late Roman Republic
-
absent
Confident No Edit
111
Middle Roman Republic
-
absent
Confident No Edit
112
Roman Empire - Principate
-
absent
Confident No Edit
113
Western Roman Empire - Late Antiquity
-
absent
Confident No Edit
114
Republic of St Peter I
-
absent
Confident No Edit
115
Kara-Khanids
-
absent
Confident No Edit
116
Western Turk Khaganate
-
absent
Confident No Edit
117
Magadha - Sunga Empire
-
absent
Confident No Edit
118
Neo-Assyrian Empire
-
present
Confident No Edit
119
Susiana B
-
absent
Confident No Edit
120
Susiana - Early Ubaid
-
absent
Confident No Edit
121
Latium - Bronze Age
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
122
Warring States Japan
-
present
Confident No Edit
123
Late Mongols
-
absent
Confident No Edit
124
Second Turk Khaganate
-
absent
Confident No Edit
125
Uigur Khaganate
-
absent
Confident No Edit
126
Inca Empire
-
absent
Confident No Edit
127
Indo-Greek Kingdom
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
128
Kachi Plain - Proto-Historic Period
-
absent
Confident No Edit
129
Sind - Samma Dynasty
-
absent
Confident No Edit
130
Umayyad Caliphate
-
absent
Confident No Edit
131
Fatimid Caliphate
-
absent
Confident No Edit
132
Konya Plain - Early Bronze Age
-
absent
Confident No Edit
133
Byzantine Empire I
-
absent
Confident No Edit
134
Konya Plain - Early Chalcolithic
-
absent
Confident No Edit
135
Konya Plain - Late Chalcolithic
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
136
Hatti - Old Kingdom
-
present
Confident No Edit
137
Kingdom of Lydia
-
absent
Confident No Edit
138
Lysimachus Kingdom
-
absent
Confident No Edit
139
Roman Empire - Dominate
-
absent
Confident No Edit
140
Chagatai Khanate
-
absent
Confident No Edit
141
Khanate of Bukhara
-
absent
Confident No Edit
142
Samanid Empire
-
absent
Confident No Edit
143
Sogdiana - City-States Period
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
144
Timurid Empire
-
absent
Confident No Edit
145
Yemen - Qasimid Dynasty
-
absent
Confident No Edit
146
Eastern Han Empire
-
present
Confident No Edit
147
Erligang
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
148
Late Shang
-
present
Confident No Edit
149
Magadha - Maurya Empire
-
absent
Confident No Edit
150
Early Xiongnu
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
151
Later Wagadu Empire
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
152
Monte Alban IIIB and IV
-
present
Confident No Edit
153
Cuzco - Early Intermediate I
-
absent
Confident No Edit
154
Cuzco - Late Formative
-
absent
Confident No Edit
155
Kachi Plain - Ceramic Neolithic
-
absent
Confident No Edit
156
Kachi Plain - Pre-Urban Period
-
absent
Confident No Edit
157
Egypt - Kushite Period
-
present
Confident No Edit
158
Byzantine Empire III
-
absent
Confident No Edit
159
Hatti - New Kingdom
-
absent
Confident No Edit
160
Rum Sultanate
-
absent
Confident No Edit
161
Kingdom of Hawaii - Kamehameha Period
-
absent
Confident No Edit
162
Yemen - Era of Warlords
-
absent
Confident No Edit
163
Yemen Ziyad Dynasty
-
absent
Confident No Edit
164
Neguanje
-
absent
Confident No Edit
165
Naqada I
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
166
Naqada II
-
present
Inferred No Edit
167
Egypt - Dynasty 0
-
absent
Confident No Edit
168
Chuuk - Early Truk
-
absent
Confident No Edit
169
La Tene B2-C1
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
170
Hawaii II
-
absent
Confident No Edit
171
Hawaii III
-
absent
Confident No Edit
172
Kadamba Empire
-
absent
Confident No Edit
173
Kampili Kingdom
-
absent
Confident No Edit
174
Isin-Larsa
-
absent
Confident No Edit
175
Neo-Babylonian Empire
-
absent
Confident No Edit
176
Achaemenid Empire
-
absent
Confident No Edit
177
Susiana - Muhammad Jaffar
-
absent
Confident No Edit
178
Formative Period
-
absent
Confident No Edit
179
Susiana A
-
absent
Confident No Edit
180
Susiana - Late Ubaid
-
absent
Confident No Edit
181
Elam - Kidinuid Period
-
present
Confident No Edit
182
Pre-Ceramic Period
-
absent
Confident No Edit
183
Susa I
-
absent
Confident No Edit
184
Latium - Copper Age
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
185
Ashikaga Shogunate
-
present
Confident No Edit
186
Asuka
-
present
Confident No Edit
187
Byzantine Empire II
-
absent
Confident No Edit
188
Late Cappadocia
-
absent
Confident No Edit
189
Japan - Azuchi-Momoyama
-
present
Confident No Edit
190
Heian
-
present
Confident No Edit
191
Kamakura Shogunate
-
present
Confident No Edit
192
Kansai - Kofun Period
-
present
Confident No Edit
193
Tokugawa Shogunate
-
present
Confident No Edit
194
Kansai - Yayoi Period
-
present
Inferred No Edit
195
Jenne-jeno I
-
absent
Confident No Edit
196
Jenne-jeno II
-
absent
Confident No Edit
197
Jenne-jeno III
-
absent
Confident No Edit
198
Jenne-jeno IV
-
absent
Confident No Edit
199
Ancient Khwarazm
-
absent
Confident No Edit
200
Mali Empire
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
201
Songhai Empire - Askiya Dynasty
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
202
Allada
-
absent
Confident No Edit
203
Eastern Turk Khaganate
-
present
Confident No Edit
204
Khitan I
-
present
Inferred No Edit
205
Late Xiongnu
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
206
Kachi Plain - Chalcolithic
-
absent
Confident No Edit
207
Kachi Plain - Post-Urban Period
-
absent
Confident No Edit
208
Xiongnu Imperial Confederation
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
209
Middle Wagadu Empire
-
absent
Confident No Edit
210
Early Monte Alban I
-
present
Confident No Edit
211
Monte Alban Late I
-
present
Confident No Edit
212
Monte Alban II
-
present
Confident No Edit
213
Monte Alban III
-
present
Confident No Edit
214
Oaxaca - Rosario
-
present
Confident No Edit
215
Oaxaca - San Jose
-
absent
Confident No Edit
216
Oaxaca - Tierras Largas
-
absent
Confident No Edit
217
Cuzco - Early Intermediate II
-
absent
Confident No Edit
218
Cuzco - Late Intermediate I
-
absent
Confident No Edit
219
Wari Empire
-
absent
Confident No Edit
220
Kachi Plain - Aceramic Neolithic
-
absent
Confident No Edit
221
Sind - Abbasid-Fatimid Period
-
absent
Confident No Edit
222
Phrygian Kingdom
-
absent
Confident No Edit
223
Qatabanian Commonwealth
-
absent
Confident No Edit
224
Sabaean Commonwealth
-
absent
Confident No Edit
225
Kingdom of Saba and Dhu Raydan
-
absent
Confident No Edit
226
Pandya Empire
-
absent
Confident No Edit
227
Dambadaneiya
-
absent
Confident No Edit
228
Anurādhapura IV
-
absent
Confident No Edit
229
Polonnaruwa
-
absent
Confident No Edit
230
Anurādhapura III
-
absent
Confident No Edit
231
Anurādhapura I
-
absent
Confident No Edit
232
Proto-Yoruba
-
absent
Confident No Edit
233
Classical Ife
-
absent
Confident No Edit
234
Late Formative Yoruba
-
absent
Confident No Edit
235
Oyo
-
absent
Confident No Edit
236
Proto-Yoruboid
-
absent
Confident No Edit
237
Foys
-
absent
Confident No Edit
238
Buganda
-
absent
Confident No Edit
239
Toro
-
absent
Confident No Edit
240
Buganda
-
absent
Confident No Edit
241
Karagwe
-
absent
Confident No Edit
242
Kingdom of Nyinginya
-
absent
Confident No Edit
243
Nkore
-
absent
Confident No Edit
244
Ndorwa
-
absent
Confident No Edit
245
Mane
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
246
Burundi
-
absent
Confident No Edit
247
Mubari
-
absent
Confident No Edit
248
Gisaka
-
absent
Confident No Edit
249
Fipa
-
absent
Confident No Edit
250
Bugesera
-
absent
Confident No Edit
251
Nkore
-
absent
Confident No Edit
252
Buhaya
-
absent
Confident No Edit
253
Kaabu
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
254
Early Cholas
-
absent
Confident No Edit
255
Late Pallava Empire
-
absent
Confident No Edit
256
Kalabhra Dynasty
-
absent
Confident No Edit
257
Futa Jallon
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
258
Pre-Sape Sierra Leone
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
259
Sape
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
260
Whydah
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
261
Sokoto Caliphate
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
262
Ọ̀ràézè Ǹrì
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
263
Hausa bakwai
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
264
Anglo-Saxon England I
-
A~P
Confident No Edit
265
Benin Empire
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
266
Kingdom of Jolof
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
267
Dutch Empire
-
present
Confident No Edit
268
Plantagenet England
-
absent
Confident No Edit
269
Lombard Kingdom
-
absent
Confident No Edit
270
Us Reconstruction-Progressive
-
absent
Confident No Edit
271
Chaco Canyon - Late Bonito phase
-
absent
Confident No Edit
272
Antebellum US
-
absent
Confident No Edit
273
Late Classic Tikal
-
present
Confident No Edit
274
Tudor and Early Stuart England
-
present
Confident No Edit
275
Anglo-Saxon England II
-
present
Confident No Edit
276
Hohokam Culture
-
absent
Confident No Edit
277
Austria - Habsburg Dynasty I
-
absent
Confident No Edit
278
Golden Horde
-
present
Confident No Edit
279
Saffarid Caliphate
-
absent
Confident No Edit
280
Kingdom of Hawaii - Post-Kamehameha Period
-
present
Confident No Edit
281
Napoleonic France
-
absent
Confident No Edit
282
British Empire I
-
A~P
Confident No Edit
283
Holy Roman Empire - Ottonian-Salian Dynasty
-
absent
Confident No Edit
284
Durrani Empire
-
absent
Confident No Edit
285
British Empire IIIIIIIIII
-
present
Confident No Edit
286
Ghur Principality
-
absent
Confident No Edit
287
Gupta Empire
-
absent
Confident No Edit
288
Gurjar-Pratihara Dynasty
-
absent
Confident No Edit
289
Kannauj - Varman Dynasty
-
absent
Confident No Edit
290
Magadha
-
absent
Confident No Edit
291
Mahajanapada era
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
292
Mughal Empire
-
absent
Confident No Edit