Computational Archaeology
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Computational archaeology
Computational archaeology describes computer-based analytical
methods for the study of long-term human behaviour
and behavioural evolution. As with other sub-disciplines that have prefixed 'computational' to their name (e.g. computational biology, computational physics
and computational sociology), the term is reserved
for (generally mathematical) methods that could
not realistically be performed without the aid
of a computer.
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Computational archaeology may include the use
of geographical information systems (GIS), especially
when applied to spatial analyses such as viewshed
analysis and least-cost path analysis as these
approaches are sufficiently computationally complex
that they are extremely difficult if not impossible
to implement without the processing power of a
computer. Likewise, some forms of statistical
and mathematical modelling, and the computer simulation
of human behaviour and behavioural evolution using
software tools such as Swarm or Repast would also
be impossible to calculate without compuational aid. The application of a variety of other forms
of complex and bespoke software to solve archaeological problems, such as human perception and movement
within built environments using software such
as University College London's Space Syntax program,
also falls under the term 'compuational archaeology'
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You can also see other
methods of archaeology
