Predictive Modelling of Roman Settlement in the Middle Tiber Valley

Kay, S.J.; Witcher, R.E.

Abstract

This paper discusses the results of an inductive predictive modelling experiment on Roman settlement data from the middle Tiber valley, Italy. The study forms part of the British School at Rome’s Tiber Valley Project, which since its inception in 1998 has been assessing the changing landscapes of the Tiber Valley from protohistory through to the medieval period. The aim of this present study is to broaden understanding of settlement patterns via predictive modelling, and in particular to evaluate unevenness in field survey coverage, survey bias and past settlement location preferences. The predictive modelling method chosen was an application of the statistical Weights of Evidence extension for ESRI ArcGIS. The results highlight associations between Roman settlement and environmental themes that provide moderate predictive potential and suggest that further experimentation might prove valuable.

Citation

Kay, S., & Witcher, R. (2010). Predictive Modelling of Roman Settlement in the Middle Tiber Valley. Archeologia e calcolatori (Testo stampato), 20(2009), 277-290

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Mar 1, 2010
• Deposit Date: Apr 6, 2010
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 8, 2010
• Journal: Archeologia e calcolatori.
• Print ISSN: 1120-6861
• Electronic ISSN: 2385-1953
• Publisher: Edizioni all'Insegna del Giglio
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 20
• Issue: 2009
• Pages: 277-290
• Keywords: GIS, Predictive modelling, Roman settlement, Tiber valley.
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1553636
• Publisher URL: http://www.progettocaere.rm.cnr.it/databasegestione/open_block_pages.asp?IDyear=2009-01-01