Mediterranean Landscape Dynamics –MedLanD– Modeling Laboratory (MML)
MML is an open-source, Python-based, geospatial agent-based modeling platform that allows researchers to simulate various scenarios in human-environment interactions of archaeological societies. MML (developed by grants from the National Science Foundation, U.S.A. BCS-410269, BCS-638879, BCS- 543848, and DEB-1313727, and by Arizona State University) runs natively in GRASS GIS through modules where land use decisions (e.g., farming and herding) and their impacts have been simulated at high resolution (10 meters). MML combines agro-pastoral activities with; climate parameters such as precipitation, land cover type and density around the site, and topography near the site. Consequently, MML calculates the amount of vegetation removed from farming, herding, and firewood gathering; and how much sediment has been exposed to be eroded, transported, and re-deposited through surface processes. The Model also keeps track of changes (for each model year, and cumulative) in human and animal populations, the amount of agro-pastoral production, and changes in biodiversity. These qualities make MML a valuable tool to test hypotheses in socio-ecological research that focuses on archaeological societies. You may find some of the ABM experiments we carried out in Anatolia here.
Arslantepe, Malatya (Eastern Anatolia)
The ABM experiments at Arslantepe focused on assessing climate change and the transformation of agropastoral production at the site during the Early Bronze Age-I (ca. 2950-2700 BC). This period represents natural climate change towards more arid conditions while the new comers started practicing site-tethered pastoralism. The results of ABM experiments supported the gradual expansion of EBA-I pastoral camp site at Arslantepe (2950 BC) into an agro-pastoral village by the end of 2700 BC. However, intensive grazing on the hills south of the site caused increased erosion.
Gökçeada (ancient Imbros) in Northern Aegean
The mound of Yenibademli is an Early Bronze Age-II (2900-2700 BC) site on the island of Imbros in northern Aegean. The ABM experiments at the site revealed that the long-term erosion-deposition patterns were minimal mainly due to the fact that agro-pastoral production remained at low intensity. When the population at the site is considered, the integration of marine resources into the diet is necessary to sustain human life.