Stream Network Analysis in Archaeological Predictive Modeling

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2023: Individual Abstracts" session, at the 88th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

In this research, I explore the efficacy of stream network analysis as a data set to use in archaeological predictive modeling. Stream network analysis allows the researcher to use a digital elevation model (DEM) to create a geographic information system (GIS) layer representing stream channels in a study area. Stream network analysis can also be used to assign stream order designations to differentiate channels based on the amount of flow in a channel. Stream network analysis allows a researcher to take an opensource GIS resource available online and determine where all of the drainages are and their relative size in a study area. Because distance to water is critical to archaeological predictive modeling, stream network analysis represents a powerful tool in the modeler’s toolbox. I compare several maximum entropy models using different layers created with stream network analysis to a maximum entropy model without those layers. Other environmental data used in the research include standard data sets used extensively in predictive modeling throughout the world. This research discusses the process of creating the stream network analysis data and how these data affect the predictive models researchers create.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• SAA 2023: Individual Abstracts   •
• Society for American Archaeology 88th Annual Meeting, Portland, OR (2023)

Keywords

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 37553.0