Lucas Stephens (University of Pennsylvania)

Route Navigation and Burial Monuments in an Ancient Cultural Landscape

The landscape around Gordion, in modern-day central Turkey, was monumentalized through the construction of nearly 100 burial mounds (or tumuli) during the Iron Age (900-500 BCE). Previous studies have suggested that linear alignments of the tumuli could indicate that they were built along ancient routes. This project is an attempt to thoroughly investigate that hypothesis and analyze the landscape through both digital and humanistic perspectives in order to better understand the motivations of monument builders and the subsequent effect of tumuli on daily activities. GIS analysis of the topography between the urban center of Gordion and several smaller outlying settlements has revealed a local travel network within which the tumuli acted as landmarks. A combination of digital maps, videos taken while traveling routes, and 3D models of landscape features provides useful research tools for archaeologists and depicts the cultural landscape in a way that approximates past movement.

Date: 
Monday, February 6, 2017 - 12:00pm
Location: 

Meyerson Conference Center, Van Pelt-Dietrich Library