Abstract

The paper analyzes the settlement locations of three archaeological societies of the Northern Hemisphere above 48°N in terms of their exposure to winter winds. To explain settlement decision-making, we apply computational models to three archaeological societies to test whether residence location and architecture were chosen concerning the best heat preservation strategy. We conclude that the test societies represent a spectrum of strategies from the flexible adaptation to the combination of adaptation and niche construction. The flexible adaptation implied seasonal movements from the most to the least wind-exposed locations, while the niche construction combined with choosing the least-exposed location helped maintain the warmth while maintaining access to vital resources. This conclusion provides a possibility to explain the formation of social complexity in early complex societies due to cooperation rather than as a result of social conflict or aggrandizing behavior.

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