Exploring the Inherent Affordability for Movement in Past Landscapes

Abstract The aim of this paper is to demonstrate a method for exploring the conditions inherent to mobility within a landscape, as a means of broadening our understanding of the role of human movement in archaeology. Specifically, it is based on the application of a tool, Omniscape, developed in the field of ecology, which to date has barely been utilised in archaeology. As we shall attempt to demonstrate, it holds great potential to overcome some of the common limitations in the digital modelling of mobility in archaeology. After briefly reviewing these limitations, we outline the operating principles of Omniscape and illustrate the type of results it produces using three ideal control surfaces. Finally, an archaeological case study regarding the distribution of burial mounds in an area of NW Iberia is presented, to illustrate possible ways of utilising the results for tackling specific archaeological questions.