Spatial distribution of archaeological sites in lakeshore of Chaohu Lake in China based on GIS

Abstract

There are about 19 Neolithic Age sites and 120 Shang-Zhou dynasties sites in the western lakeshore of Chaohu Lake, Anhui Province, China. Based on sites data, topographic data, drainage maps, administrative maps and SPOT5 remote sensing data, spatial analysis methods were introduced into the archaeology of Chaohu Lake Basin with Geographic Information System (GIS). The spatial analysis methods include: 1) Point Density Analysis with density model to acquire the shift of the sites; 2) Distance Analysis to reveal the spatial structure of the sites; 3) 3D Analysis based on Digital Elevation Model to get micro-geomorphologic features of the sites; and 4) Buffer Analysis to discover the relationship between the sites and rivers. The results indicate that the archaeological sites spread from the western lakeshore of Chaohu Lake gradually to the northwest, later to the south, and then symmetrically spread. Controlled by productive forces and other factors, ancient people preferred to reside in those places near water, or in plain and fertile land, which resulted in linear and decentralized distribution of the sites, and presented such disciplines as river valley directivity, terrace directivity and soil directivity. This paper indicates that the distribution of archaeological sites was influenced earlier by natural elements and later by human elements in the study period. The research is important for the integration of GIS and archaeology.