Chapoan Culture

The Chapoan culture was a complex society of the Region D upper highlands in the Early Bronze Age.

Encompasses

 * Lni
 * Chapoa
 * Raituna
 * Muwng
 * Puplna
 * Chatuna

Material Culture
The Chapoan phase is actually a recovery from the collapse of the prior Muwng phase, which ended with the abandonment of several major centures. It's only now, c.13,000 TY, that this region has re-emerged as an urban centre. Elements of the Muwng phase carry over, particularly the preoccupation with the black-winged kite in artistic imagery. However, this is also a serious innovation; now tin from the south mixes with the abundant copper to allow for a bronze industry to grow up. Iron is considered a relatively rare prestige metal, as is nickel which is not understood as being a separate mineral from silver. Both gold and silver are treated as prestige metals as well, but unlike in many other areas iron and nickel freely mix with the two. Onyx is a popular jewel, as is resinite amber, and Azurite imported from across the mountains is a very rare gemstone and source of blue pigment. Marble and serpentine are both used in the context of power, both temples and also palaces. Ordinary houses are usually stone, but can sometimes be wooden in outlying areas or in certain religious contexts. Cities are fortified as a matter of course, usually extensively, but those which are more secure often beautify the city extensively; Marisuna in particular is famed for its beauty as a city in the nearby region. Cotton clothing is an extreme luxury.

Society
The prior Muwng phase saw the city of Muwng dominate the entire region under a single king, but in this period of recovery each city has become its own independent state once again. The King is referred to as the father of the state in most contexts, and in a particular quirk each city has a goddess for a patron deity forming the mother of the state. The King is also the High priest of that city's patron deity cult. In this new Marisuna phase, temples have become incredibly important economic entities in their own right; during the time of collapse they became the highest level of social organisation, and are now the main means by which labour is organised by each city. The temple attached to each city's patron goddess functions as the leader of all a city's temples. Likewise military potency is becoming a focus again, though this time the playing field has been levelled by the emergence of new city centres alongside the old. There is a particular reverence given over towards the devotees of the god Puplne, who are very ascetic in their practices and will only dwell in houses made of wood. They are considered great sources of both mystic and secular wisdom. Social castes generally divide along both military and priestly lines above those of the ordinary, with the King straddling both.

Diet
The most commonly eaten staples are violet sweet potato, emmer wheat, rice, abiu, water yam, beets and hazelnut. Citron is considered more prestigious, and like the Marisuna culture used to make alcohols which are associated with religious ritual here. Tropical fruits from further south are imported but often dried due to otherwise soiling on the journey; dried mango and loquat. There are also developments in the breeding of Citron that is resulting in more specific varieties- the prototype orange is now also appearing as an import from further south. By far the most expensive item potentially involved in the Chapoan diet is avocado oil, pressed to the south in the Kadano Complex. This is often used for libations for various deities, but is also used by the most affluent as a cooking ingredient and frying oil.