Hierarchical typology and settlement pattern modelling at<br />micro-regional scale

Short article : http://www.caa2007.de/caa2007.htmlInternational audienceThis reflexion comes within the framework of the ArchaeDyn project, “Spatial dynamics of settlement<br />and natural resources : toward an integrated analysis over the long term from prehistory to<br />Middle Ages”, coordinated by F. Favory and L. Nuninger.<br />The aim is to highlight the main tendencies of the settlement in various spaces (Center and South<br />of France as well as the area of Doljenska in Slovenia), from the Iron Age to the end of the Middle<br />Ages. The adopted approach is one of a long term survey, which makes possible to fully understand<br />the perceptible changes and continuities in the dynamics of the settlement. The perception<br />of the space occupation is realized through the settlement vestiges and the study is based on<br />data from field survey.<br />To answer the fixed ambition, it is necessary to work on mutual and homogeneous methodological<br />bases and to select zones offering a resolution and a good quality of information. The<br />first step of work consisted in wondering about the data reliability (standard of sites taken into<br />account, chronological resolution, information available on each site) and the representativeness<br />of the maps settlement in each area (space continuity of the data). On that occasion, an important<br />reflexion was also engaged around the concept of site and on its perception on the ground<br />(identifying information and definition according to the periods).<br />From the perspective of an interregional comparison of the settlement, there is in addition essential<br />that the settlements should be characterized according to identical criteria. The settlements<br />were subjected to statistical methods of analysis of the data (Correspondence Factorial Analysis<br />and Ascending Hierarchical clustering), which makes possible to operate an automatic classification<br />of the settlements by analyzing the structure of the processed data. The development of a<br />hierarchical classification made possible to apprehend the organization of the settlement in each<br />area, by highlighting the part played by each site in the structuring of the settlement network.<br />This approach also made possible to progress in the definition of settlement indicators common<br />to the whole of studied geographical sectors.<br />After having identified the various forms of the settlement and their role in the structuring of the<br />settlement, the aim is to replacing these settlements in their chronological and space dimension,<br />by resorting to a Geographic Information System, and comparing the intensity and the stability<br />of the occupation of various spaces, over the long term