Jagiellonian University
Archaeologist and data scientist exploring settlement patterns in Iron Age Central Europe through spatial statistics and predictive modeling.
Predictive modeling of Iron Age hillfort locations in the Carpathian Basin using terrain analysis, viewshed calculations, and nearest-neighbor statistics. Testing whether strategic visibility or agricultural productivity better explains settlement placement.
We test two competing hypotheses for hillfort placement in the Carpathian Basin: strategic visibility versus agricultural productivity. Using viewshed analysis and soil quality data for 847 known hillfort sites, we find that early Iron Age settlements prioritize visibility (78% accuracy), while later settlements shift toward fertile lowlands — suggesting a transition from defensive to economic priorities over three centuries.