Backs to the Sea? Least‑cost paths and coastality in the southern Early Bronze Age IIA Aegean
Published in Islands in Dialogue (ISLANDIA): Proceedings of the First International Postgraduate Conference in the Prehistory and Protohistory of the Mediterranean Islands, Roma: Artemide Edizioni, 2021
Abstract
This study examines the spatial relationship between Early Bronze Age IIA settlements and the sea in the Southern Aegean, using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to critically assess coastality—how coastal a settlement truly was in terms of human movement and accessibility. Traditional cartographic approaches often assume proximity to the sea equates to ease of access, but by applying least‑cost path analysis in ArcMap GIS, this study quantifies the effort required to travel from settlements to the coast, taking into account topographic challenges and past sea‑level changes. The findings reveal significant variation in coastality among settlements, challenging assumptions that maritime interaction necessarily required direct coastal settlement. Some sites classified as coastal were, in practical terms, more isolated due to steep terrain, while others further inland had easier access to the sea. These results contribute to broader discussions on Aegean prehistory—particularly within the framework of increased maritime connectivity in the Early Bronze Age—and suggest that interpretations of settlement placement should incorporate cost‑based spatial analyses in place of, or in addition to, simple Euclidean distance measurements.
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Recommended citation: Nuttall, C. (2021b). “Backs to the Sea? Least‑cost paths and coastality in the southern Early Bronze Age IIA Aegean”, in G. Albertazzi, A. Saggio & G. Muti (eds.) Islands in Dialogue (ISLANDIA): Proceedings of the First International Postgraduate Conference in the Prehistory and Protohistory of the Mediterranean Islands, Roma: Artemide Edizioni, 116–129.
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