A GIS-Based Spatial Analysis of British-Era Archaeological Sites and Water Sources: A Case Study from District Abbottabad, Pakistan

Abstract

The paper introduces a quantitative exposition of the spatial association amidst the British era archaeological sites and water sources in the District Abbottabad, Pakistan using Geographic Information Systems. The coordinates of the archeological sites were determined using GPS and secondary sources, and the information on water sources was obtained and interpreted using the topographic maps. Spatial analyses involved nearest-distance, spatial autocorrelation, hotspot identification and terrain analysis using elevation and slope values obtained by Digital Elevation Models (DEM). Findings indicate 43 percent of sites are within 2 km of a water source with near (<500 m) sites found at much lower elevation and on less steep slopes as compared to far sites. The results of hotspot analysis indicated that there was statistically significant clustering of hydrologically rich areas, especially in the center and southeast of the district. The significant differences in slope and elevation were found to be significant with independent samples t-tests between the near and the far sites suggesting that accessibility to water, and conducive terrain were determining variables in the planning of the colonial settlement. Combining hydrological proximity analysis and terrain modeling, this study brings archaeological GIS use in Pakistan beyond documentation, providing a precedent of a predictive framework of heritage mapping. The results can be used in scholarly knowledge of the approaches to settlement in the colonial era and in practice of heritage management, which will allow the use of high-potential areas in the survey and protection.

Keywords: GIS Spatial Analysis, Water proximity, British-era archaeology, Topographic influence, Cultural heritage, Abbottabad District