Spatial Analysis, Landscape Modelling, and Mobility Simulation in Mountain Environments

Abstract

Computer modelling is routinely used in archaeology to investigate the relationship between human communities and the environment. The last two decades have seen a rapid increase in the use of these methods to address some of the most relevant questions of mountain archaeology. Spatial analysis of settlement patterns has shed new light on locational strategies of the past and on the influence of research biases in the present. Predictive models have been developed from these data (often integrating ethnographic analogues) to support archaeological surveys in remote areas. Socio-ecological modelling frameworks have been used to assess the impact of agropastoral activities on vulnerable mountain environments. And the simulation of least-cost paths and mobility networks has contributed to understanding accessibility and connectivity across and within mountain regions. This chapter will explore the latest developments of computer modelling applied to archaeological landscapes in montane areas.