GIS Optimal Path Modeling for Analyzing Paleolithic Settlement Systems: Methodological Issues

Abstract

This article discusses applications of the GIS technology for studying Paleolithic sites, particularly the optimal path modeling and cost surface analysis. The approach is based on the concept of affordance – environmental capacity available to prehistoric humans with their physical capabilities and needs. The main focus is on the methodology of least-cost path analysis, which allows for modeling migration routes, determining resource (e.g., lithic raw materials) availability, and reconstructing settlement systems. The nature of the input data and applied methods for calculating energy costs are described. A key factor in determining energy expenditure is slope gradient. It has been established that slope steepness of 30–35° constitutes the threshold value beyond which movement becomes disproportionately costly. The main limitations of the method include the quality and relevance of the input data, possible researcher’s subjectivity in selecting significant factors, as well as difficulty of accounting for climate and landscape changes over long periods of time. Variational modeling – constructing multiple scenarios for different reconstructed environmental conditions – is proposed as a strategy for overcoming these limitations. It is concluded that cost surface modeling is a promising tool for analyzing subsistence systems of highly mobile Paleolithic groups.