Predictive modeling of land-use opportunities in the Early Medieval Period: A case study from Lauchheim, southern Germany

Abstract

Modeling of environmental factors in archaeological research leads to a better understanding of human interaction with landscapes. The strict selection of suitable settlement spots is controlled by various influencing parameters like landscape permeability, soil quality, flood risk and erosion, thus creating a collection of different location factors. Unfortunately, large-scale excavations of Early Medieval settlements in southern Germany are extremely rare. This article presents spatially analyzed and remotely sensed environmental data from the Merovingian settlement and graveyard complex at Lauchheim, Germany. Predictive modeling of potential land-use areas in heterogeneous regional settings allows the estimation of the range of human-environmental interaction, enabling the identification of possible settlement spots. Mapping of potential vulnerability can further encourage future research.