GIS-based landform classification of Bronze Age archaeological sites on Crete Island.

Athanasios V Argyriou,Richard M Teeuw,Apostolos Sarris,John P Hart

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0170727

Athanasios V Argyriou, Richard M Teeuw + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0170727

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Abstract

Various physical attributes of the Earth’s surface are factors that influence local topography and indirectly influence human behaviour in terms of habitation locations. The determination of geomorphological setting plays an important role in archaeological landscape research. Several landform types can be distinguished by characteristic geomorphic attributes that portray the landscape surrounding a settlement and influence its ability to sustain a population. Geomorphometric landform information, derived from digital elevation models (DEMs), such as the ASTER Global DEM, can provide useful insights into the processes shaping landscapes. This work examines the influence of landform classification on the settlement locations of Bronze Age (Minoan) Crete, focusing on the districts of Phaistos, Kavousi and Vrokastro. The landform classification was based on the topographic position index (TPI) and deviation from mean elevation (DEV) analysis to highlight slope steepness of various landform classes, characterizing the surrounding landscape environment of the settlements locations. The outcomes indicate no interrelationship between the settlement locations and topography during the Early Minoan period, but a significant interrelationship exists during the later Minoan periods with the presence of more organised societies. The landform classification can provide insights into factors favouring human habitation and can contribute to archaeological predictive modelling.

Highlights

During the Middle Minoan period of the Bronze Age period in Crete, there appears to have been a widespread increase of sites in low elevation areas suitable for arable farming
The results show that topographic position index (TPI) provides a generalised representation of topography, while deviation from mean elevation (DEV) highlights subtle topographic variations, which is in accordance with the findings of [32]
This study focuses on the regional representation of the morphological classes so the generalised approach of TPI was selected, instead of DEV, for the analyses of slope position and landform classification evaluation

Summary

Introduction

During the Middle Minoan period of the Bronze Age period in Crete, there appears to have been a widespread increase of sites in low elevation areas suitable for arable farming. Systematic archaeological surveys across eastern and central Crete have examined the settlement dynamics and in all cases highlight a generalised population movement from high elevation areas with limited arable land to lower elevation areas, plains favourable to cultivation and efficiency in irrigation [1]. GIS-based landform classification of Bronze Age archaeological sites, Crete that concern published material (archaeological sites) can be available upon request from GeoSat ReSeArch Lab. Any other unpublished data need to be requested by the local Archaeological Ephorates. The Fragstats freeware used in the data analysis can be downloaded from: http://www.umass.edu/landeco/research/fragstats/ fragstats.html

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