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Modeling Boundaries Between Converging Fronts In Prehistory

Author

Listed:
  • FABIO SILVA

    (AHRC Centre for the Evolution of Cultural Diversity, Institute of Archaeology, University College London, 31-34 Gordon Square, London WC1H 0PY, United Kingdom)

  • JAMES STEELE

    (AHRC Centre for the Evolution of Cultural Diversity, Institute of Archaeology, University College London, 31-34 Gordon Square, London WC1H 0PY, United Kingdom;
    SGAES, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa)

Abstract

We introduce a modeling framework that can be applied to cases of multiple converging fronts during episodes of population expansion and innovation diffusion, referring to two prehistoric case studies known archaeologically (the spread of pottery-making in Europe, and the spread of farming in southern Africa). We model front propagation using Fast Marching methods, drawing on the analogy with crystallization processes to build compoundly-weighted Voronoi diagrams of a spatially partitioned surface in which the zones of influence of each competing spreading process are determined by their respective front initiation times and propagation rates. We analyze the phase space for the general two-source case, and illustrate the potential of this approach by modeling the evolving interface for the archaeological case studies.

Suggested Citation

  • Fabio Silva & James Steele, 2012. "Modeling Boundaries Between Converging Fronts In Prehistory," Advances in Complex Systems (ACS), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 15(01n02), pages 1-21.
    • Handle: RePEc:wsi:acsxxx:v:15:y:2012:i:01n02:n:s0219525911003293
    DOI: 10.1142/S0219525911003293
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