Academic Journal
Tracing the pathways to Yathrib (Al-Madinah): A GIS-based analysis of settlement patterns and ancient trade networks.
| Τίτλος: | Tracing the pathways to Yathrib (Al-Madinah): A GIS-based analysis of settlement patterns and ancient trade networks. |
|---|---|
| Συγγραφείς: | Metwaly, Mohamed1 (AUTHOR) mmetwaly@ksu.edu.sa, Alshami, Abdullah1 (AUTHOR) |
| Πηγή: | PLoS ONE. 5/7/2026, Vol. 21 Issue 5, p1-19. 19p. |
| Θεματικοί όροι: | *Land settlement patterns, *Cities & towns, *Geographic information systems, *Archaeology, *Geographic spatial analysis |
| Γεωγραφικοί όροι: | Medina (Saudi Arabia), Arabian Peninsula, Saudi Arabia |
| Περίληψη: | Ancient human activities in the arid Arabia peninsula are considered one of interesting research subjects in the landscape archaeological field to understand the relationships between human occupation strategies, material culture, and the natural environment in the past. Focusing on Al-Madinah Region of the Arabian Peninsula, a landscape of profound historical and archaeological significance, the research integrates Multi-Criteria Spatial Analysis (MCSA) using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) with Least-Cost Path (LCP) modeling. The study aimed to (i) evaluate environmental suitability for historical settlements and (ii) reconstruct optimal caravan routes converging on Yathrib (Al-Madinah). Six principal environmental and topographic variables were evaluated: lithology, elevation, slope, drainage density, distance to watercourses (wadis), and the soil classification. A balanced weighting system was implemented (Consistency Ratio = 0.01), where proximity to watercourses, slope, and soil were identified as the primary controlling factors. The resulting settlement suitability map identified 32.01% of the study area as highly suitable. For the reconstruction of caravan routes, a cost surface was generated based on four parameters: distance to watercourses, slope, elevation, and lithology to simulate LCPs to major archaeological sites, including Khaybar, Al-Hinakiyah, Dadan–AlUla–Hegra, and the coastal port of Al-Jar. Quantitative validation of these modeled routes against verified historical trade stations demonstrates that hydrological accessibility and terrain favorability jointly governed patterns of ancient human settlement and mobility, offering a replicable methodology for exploring trade networks and habitation dynamics in arid landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Βάση Δεδομένων: | Academic Search Index |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 CustomLinks: – Url: https://resolver.ebsco.com/c/fiv2js/result?sid=EBSCO:asx&genre=article&issn=19326203&ISBN=&volume=21&issue=5&date=20260507&spage=1&pages=1-19&title=PLoS ONE&atitle=Tracing%20the%20pathways%20to%20Yathrib%20%28Al-Madinah%29%3A%20A%20GIS-based%20analysis%20of%20settlement%20patterns%20and%20ancient%20trade%20networks.&aulast=Metwaly%2C%20Mohamed&id=DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0348677 Name: Full Text Finder (for New FTF UI) (ns324271) Category: fullText Text: Full Text Finder MouseOverText: Full Text Finder |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Tracing the pathways to Yathrib (Al-Madinah): A GIS-based analysis of settlement patterns and ancient trade networks. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Metwaly%2C+Mohamed%22">Metwaly, Mohamed</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> mmetwaly@ksu.edu.sa</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Alshami%2C+Abdullah%22">Alshami, Abdullah</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR) – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22PLoS+ONE%22">PLoS ONE</searchLink>. 5/7/2026, Vol. 21 Issue 5, p1-19. 19p. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Land+settlement+patterns%22">Land settlement patterns</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cities+%26+towns%22">Cities & towns</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Geographic+information+systems%22">Geographic information systems</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Archaeology%22">Archaeology</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Geographic+spatial+analysis%22">Geographic spatial analysis</searchLink> – Name: SubjectGeographic Label: Geographic Terms Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Medina+%28Saudi+Arabia%29%22">Medina (Saudi Arabia)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Arabian+Peninsula%22">Arabian Peninsula</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Saudi+Arabia%22">Saudi Arabia</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Ancient human activities in the arid Arabia peninsula are considered one of interesting research subjects in the landscape archaeological field to understand the relationships between human occupation strategies, material culture, and the natural environment in the past. Focusing on Al-Madinah Region of the Arabian Peninsula, a landscape of profound historical and archaeological significance, the research integrates Multi-Criteria Spatial Analysis (MCSA) using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) with Least-Cost Path (LCP) modeling. The study aimed to (i) evaluate environmental suitability for historical settlements and (ii) reconstruct optimal caravan routes converging on Yathrib (Al-Madinah). Six principal environmental and topographic variables were evaluated: lithology, elevation, slope, drainage density, distance to watercourses (wadis), and the soil classification. A balanced weighting system was implemented (Consistency Ratio = 0.01), where proximity to watercourses, slope, and soil were identified as the primary controlling factors. The resulting settlement suitability map identified 32.01% of the study area as highly suitable. For the reconstruction of caravan routes, a cost surface was generated based on four parameters: distance to watercourses, slope, elevation, and lithology to simulate LCPs to major archaeological sites, including Khaybar, Al-Hinakiyah, Dadan–AlUla–Hegra, and the coastal port of Al-Jar. Quantitative validation of these modeled routes against verified historical trade stations demonstrates that hydrological accessibility and terrain favorability jointly governed patterns of ancient human settlement and mobility, offering a replicable methodology for exploring trade networks and habitation dynamics in arid landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1371/journal.pone.0348677 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 19 StartPage: 1 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Medina (Saudi Arabia) Type: general – SubjectFull: Arabian Peninsula Type: general – SubjectFull: Saudi Arabia Type: general – SubjectFull: Land settlement patterns Type: general – SubjectFull: Cities & towns Type: general – SubjectFull: Geographic information systems Type: general – SubjectFull: Archaeology Type: general – SubjectFull: Geographic spatial analysis Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Tracing the pathways to Yathrib (Al-Madinah): A GIS-based analysis of settlement patterns and ancient trade networks. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Metwaly, Mohamed – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Alshami, Abdullah IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 07 M: 05 Text: 5/7/2026 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 19326203 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 21 – Type: issue Value: 5 Titles: – TitleFull: PLoS ONE Type: main |
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