# Mesolithic Corpus Standard
### Version: 1.0
### Status: Normative
### Date: 2026-04-13
### Author: Claude Sonnet 4.6, approved by project owner

---

## 1. Mission and scope

Build a defensible Mesolithic Thesaurus, Vocabulary, and Dictionary in
Saltcorn to support controlled corpus generation for a language model
grounded in prehistoric lifeways.

### 1.1 Core outputs

| Output | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Thesaurus | Meaning relationships — domains, concepts, scales, frames |
| Vocabulary | Approved lexical forms per concept |
| Dictionary | Human-readable entries combining concept + vocabulary |
| Ground truth corpus | Stable causal relations for model training |
| Simulation triage corpus | Decision and priority patterns for model training |

### 1.2 Constraints

- No modern units or modern-only categories in any generated language
- Meaning-first design — surface forms are secondary to semantic structure
- Culture-aware context — concepts tagged to applicable culture horizons
- UI-first workflow — table → view → page → data, without exception
- Constraint enforcement is editorial, not schema-enforced. A future
  model analysis pass will check the corpus for violations. No
  constraint tables in this schema.

### 1.3 Initial focus

Maglemosian / Nerava northern wetland context. All four culture horizons
are represented in the schema but Maglemosian is populated first.

### 1.4 Out of scope

- Game systems and full simulation engines
- Speculative conlang reconstruction
- Broad ontology sprawl
- Academic citation management
- Constraint enforcement tables (deferred to model analysis)

---

## 2. Schema

Ten tables. No table is added without a proven workflow need.

### 2.1 `domain`

The semantic domain hierarchy. Domains are self-referential — a domain
can have a parent domain.

| Field | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| id | integer | Primary key |
| label | text | Human-readable name (e.g. "Weather", "Wetness") |
| parent_id | integer | References `domain.id` — null for top-level domains |

**Seed domains (in priority order):**
Weather, Wetness, Fire, Shelter, Water travel, Hunting, Fishing,
Injury, Storage, Terrain, Time cycles, Social roles.

---

### 2.2 `culture`

The four target Mesolithic culture horizons. Lookup table — values are
fixed and do not grow without explicit decision.

| Field | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| id | integer | Primary key |
| label | text | Culture name |
| ecology_note | text | Brief ecological context |
| date_range_note | text | Approximate date range |

**Fixed values:**

| Label | Ecology | Date range |
|---|---|---|
| Maglemosian | Northern lake/peatland, open woodland | ~9500–6000 BCE |
| Ertebølle | Coastal, lagoonal, shell midden | ~5400–3900 BCE |
| Sauveterrian | Western Mediterranean upland/lowland | ~9000–6000 BCE |
| Azilian | Franco-Cantabrian cave/rock-shelter | ~12000–9000 BCE |

---

### 2.3 `concept`

The core meaning nodes of the thesaurus. Each concept belongs to a
domain and carries an evidence grade.

| Field | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| id | integer | Primary key |
| domain_id | integer | References `domain.id` |
| label | text | Concept identifier (e.g. "wet", "ember", "crossing") |
| definition | text | Plain language definition, measurement-free |
| evidence_grade | enum | `direct` / `analogue` / `inferred` |
| notes | text | Optional authoring notes |

**Evidence grade values:**
- `direct` — concept is directly supported by archaeological record
- `analogue` — concept is supported by ethnographic analogue
- `inferred` — concept follows from physical or ecological inference

Culture applicability is stored in `concept_culture`, not here.

---

### 2.4 `concept_culture`

Join table linking concepts to applicable culture horizons. A concept
with no rows here applies to all cultures.

| Field | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| id | integer | Primary key |
| concept_id | integer | References `concept.id` |
| culture_id | integer | References `culture.id` |
| context_note | text | Optional note on culture-specific usage |

---

### 2.5 `scale`

A gradient dimension associated with a concept. A concept may have
multiple scales (e.g. "wetness" has a dryness scale and a weight scale).

| Field | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| id | integer | Primary key |
| concept_id | integer | References `concept.id` |
| label | text | Scale name (e.g. "dryness", "ice safety") |

---

### 2.6 `scale_step`

Ordered steps within a scale. Steps are ordered by rank and may
reference an antonym step.

| Field | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| id | integer | Primary key |
| scale_id | integer | References `scale.id` |
| rank | integer | Ordering — lower = one end of spectrum |
| label | text | Step label (e.g. "dry", "damp", "soaked") |
| antonym_step_id | integer | References another `scale_step.id` — optional |
| is_danger_threshold | boolean | Marks steps that represent hazard onset |
| notes | text | Optional authoring notes |

**Example — wetness scale:**

| Rank | Label | Danger threshold |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | dry | No |
| 2 | damp | No |
| 3 | wet | No |
| 4 | soaked | Yes |

---

### 2.7 `frame`

An action frame associated with a concept. Stores the typical roles
(actor, patient, tool, place) for actions involving this concept.
One frame per concept is the norm; complex concepts may have more.

| Field | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| id | integer | Primary key |
| concept_id | integer | References `concept.id` |
| label | text | Frame name (e.g. "drying hides", "crossing river") |
| actor | text | Who performs the action |
| patient | text | What is acted upon |
| tool | text | What instrument is used |
| place | text | Where the action occurs |
| notes | text | Optional authoring notes |

---

### 2.8 `vocabulary_item`

Approved lexical forms for a concept. A concept may have multiple
vocabulary items — one preferred, others allowed alternates.

| Field | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| id | integer | Primary key |
| concept_id | integer | References `concept.id` |
| term | text | The surface form (e.g. "wet", "soaked", "waterlogged") |
| preferred | boolean | True for the primary term |
| register | text | Usage register (e.g. "narrative", "triage", "both") |
| status | enum | `approved` / `deprecated` / `restricted` |
| notes | text | Optional governance notes |

**Status values:**
- `approved` — use freely
- `deprecated` — do not use in new corpus items; kept for historical record
- `restricted` — use only in specified contexts (noted in `notes`)

---

### 2.9 `corpus_item`

A single ground truth or triage corpus item. Ground truth items teach
stable causal relations. Triage items teach decisions and priorities.

| Field | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| id | integer | Primary key |
| corpus_type | enum | `ground_truth` / `triage` |
| culture_id | integer | References `culture.id` — null means all cultures |
| text | text | The corpus statement (ground truth) or scenario (triage) |
| confidence | enum | `high` / `medium` / `low` |
| approved | boolean | True when reviewed and approved for training use |
| notes | text | Optional authoring notes |

**Ground truth example:**
```
corpus_type: ground_truth
text: "Fire dries wet hides."
confidence: high
approved: true
```

**Triage example:**
```
corpus_type: triage
text: "Hunter returns with deep leg wound and cannot walk unassisted."
confidence: high
approved: true
```

Triage options are stored in `triage_option`.

---

### 2.10 `corpus_concept`

Join table linking corpus items to the concepts they involve. Enables
completeness checks and concept-driven corpus browsing.

| Field | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| id | integer | Primary key |
| corpus_item_id | integer | References `corpus_item.id` |
| concept_id | integer | References `concept.id` |
| role_note | text | Optional note on how concept appears in this item |

---

### 2.11 `triage_option`

Structured options for triage corpus items. Each triage item has 2-4
options, exactly one marked as preferred.

| Field | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| id | integer | Primary key |
| corpus_item_id | integer | References `corpus_item.id` |
| option_text | text | Description of this option |
| is_preferred | boolean | True for the recommended action |
| reason | text | Why this option is preferred or not |
| rank | integer | Display order |

**Example — triage options for wounded hunter scenario:**

| Option | Preferred | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Carry hunter back immediately | Yes | Wound is deep, cannot walk, delay increases risk |
| Continue hunt, send one person back | No | Splits group, leaves hunter without full support |
| Make camp here and rest | No | Wound needs shelter and fire, not open ground |

---

## 3. Workflow rule

Every table follows this delivery sequence without exception:

```
1. Table     — created in Saltcorn
2. View      — at minimum a list view and a detail view
3. Page      — at minimum one usable entry/edit page
4. Data      — production records entered only via pages, never raw grids
```

**Rules:**
- No production records entered in raw table grids
- Every new table ships with at least one usable page before data entry begins
- Build vertically, not horizontally — one complete table/view/page/data
  cycle before starting the next table

---

## 4. Sprint plan

Sprints are ordered by dependency. Do not start a sprint until the
previous sprint's data entry phase is complete and verified.

### Sprint 1 — Foundation
Tables: `domain`, `culture`
Data: 12 seed domains, 4 culture records
Deliverable: domain browser page, culture lookup page

### Sprint 2 — Core concepts
Tables: `concept`, `concept_culture`
Data: 25 seed concepts from DOC-006, tagged to Maglemosian
Deliverable: concept editor page with domain and culture assignment

### Sprint 3 — Scales
Tables: `scale`, `scale_step`
Data: scales for wetness, fire state, ice safety, injury severity
Deliverable: scale builder page with ordered steps

### Sprint 4 — Frames
Table: `frame`
Data: frames for key action concepts (drying, crossing, fishing, triage)
Deliverable: frame editor page

### Sprint 5 — Vocabulary
Table: `vocabulary_item`
Data: preferred terms for all 25 seed concepts
Deliverable: vocabulary editor with preferred/alternate/deprecated status

### Sprint 6 — Corpus
Tables: `corpus_item`, `corpus_concept`, `triage_option`
Data: first 20 ground truth items, first 10 triage items
Deliverable: corpus entry page, triage option builder, concept linkage

---

## 5. Seed concepts — Sprint 2 data

From DOC-006. All tagged Maglemosian initially.

| Concept | Domain | Evidence grade |
|---|---|---|
| wet | Wetness | direct |
| dry | Wetness | direct |
| damp | Wetness | direct |
| soaked | Wetness | inferred |
| fire | Fire | direct |
| ember | Fire | direct |
| smoke | Fire | direct |
| shelter | Shelter | direct |
| hide | Shelter | direct |
| bark | Shelter | direct |
| marsh | Terrain | direct |
| reed | Terrain | direct |
| path | Terrain | inferred |
| river | Water travel | direct |
| crossing | Water travel | inferred |
| fish | Fishing | direct |
| trap | Fishing | direct |
| spear | Hunting | direct |
| wound | Injury | direct |
| limp | Injury | inferred |
| carry | Injury | inferred |
| dawn | Time cycles | inferred |
| dusk | Time cycles | inferred |
| elder | Social roles | analogue |
| child | Social roles | analogue |

---

## 6. Corpus specification

### 6.1 Ground truth corpus

Teaches stable causal relations. Statements must be:
- Present tense, declarative
- Measurement-free
- Culturally plausible for the tagged culture
- Linked to at least one concept via `corpus_concept`

**Field summary:**
- `text` — the causal statement
- `culture_id` — null for universal statements
- `confidence` — high/medium/low
- `approved` — reviewed and ready for training

**Examples:**
- Fire dries wet hides.
- Rain softens paths.
- Smoke drives insects away.
- Wet wood makes reluctant fire.
- Soaked bark floor cannot be slept on dry.
- Rising water warns of flood.

### 6.2 Simulation triage corpus

Teaches decisions and priorities under constraint. Each item must have
2-4 structured options via `triage_option`, exactly one marked preferred.

**Field summary:**
- `text` — the scenario description
- `culture_id` — null for universal scenarios
- `confidence` — high/medium/low
- `approved` — reviewed and ready for training

**Triage option fields:**
- `option_text` — what this choice involves
- `is_preferred` — the recommended action
- `reason` — why preferred or not preferred
- `rank` — display order

**Examples:**
- Wounded hunter cannot walk. (carry first vs continue hunt vs make camp)
- Fire goes out in heavy rain. (seek dry tinder vs use ember from shelter vs wait)
- Path floods at crossing. (find higher crossing vs wait vs wade)

---

## 7. Lexical governance

### 7.1 Purpose

Prevent semantic drift. Ensure vocabulary items remain measurement-free
and culturally coherent across authors and sessions.

### 7.2 Controls per vocabulary item

| Control | Field | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Preferred term | `preferred = true` | One per concept |
| Allowed alternates | `status = approved, preferred = false` | Multiple allowed |
| Deprecated terms | `status = deprecated` | Kept for record, not used in new corpus |
| Restricted terms | `status = restricted` | Context specified in `notes` |

### 7.3 Approval history

Saltcorn's built-in record history tracks who changed what and when.
No separate approval log table is needed at this stage.

### 7.4 Constraint enforcement

Modern units and modern-only categories are excluded by editorial
discipline at authoring time. A future model analysis pass will scan
the corpus for violations and flag them for review. No constraint
tables are maintained in this schema version.

---

## 8. What this does not decide

- The language model architecture or training pipeline
- How corpus items are exported to training format
- Whether vocabulary items are used as literal tokens or as semantic
  seeds for generation
- The multi-clan expansion beyond Maglemosian
- The integration between this corpus and the TESSERA spatial data layer
- Constraint enforcement implementation (deferred to model analysis pass)

---

*Mesolithic Corpus Standard v1.0 — 2026-04-13*
*Status: Normative*
*Next review: after Sprint 2 data entry is complete*