A GIS TECHNICAL APPROACH TO THE SPATIAL PATTERN RECOGNITION OF 
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE DISTRIBUTIONS ON THE EASTERN SHORES OF LAKE 
URMIA, NORTHWESTERN IRAN 
a b 
Kamal A. Niknami and A. Chaychi Amirkhiz 
a 
Department of Archaeology, University of Tehran - kniknami@ut.ac.ir 
Iranian Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization, Tehran - ahmadchaychi@yahoo.com 
KEY WORDS: GIS, GPS, Aerial Photograph, Archaeological Sites, Point Pattern Analysis, Spatial Analysis, Settlement Pattern, 
Spatial Statistics, Lake Urmia, Iran. 
ABSTRACT 
A general model of settlement structures by means of spatial processes and a specification of a spatial model for an archaeological 
landscape are presented. The study was mainly concerned with the analyzing quadrates containing archaeological sites, their 
formulation according to the general spatial model applied. As an example the settlement pattern of ancient sites from a region of 
Eastern shores of Urmia Lake has been analyzed. Here, we detailed the results of an aerial photographic survey combined with an 
intensive ground survey of ancient archaeological sites designed to determine: 1) the spatial pattern of archaeological sites at a 
landscape scale; 2) whether a positive association exists between the density of archaeological sites and environmental variables and 
if so, at what scale this relationship is strongest. We then suggest that wider use of remotely sensed data and spatial statistical tests, 
which are designed for spatial inference, can be integrated into geographic information systems (GIS) and similar spatial analyses 
that are often graphically displayed. 
1-INTRODUCTION 
The use of archaeological site distribution patterns in order to 
account for archaeological landscape is a fairly striking 
experience in archaeology. Even though statistical theories and 
models in relation to site dispersion and distribution patterns 
have evolved since the middle of the 80s, there hasn’t been 
much attention paid to the potential for utilizing it as an 
explanatory method for the analysis of archaeological landscape, 
(see, Hodder and Orton 1976, Orton 1982). 
This article presents a model for archaeological landscape in 
relation to distribution patterns of archaeological sites through 
the use of spatial processes. Needless to say, a spatial process 
encompasses a wide range of various parameters and this article 
is confined to one of them, in other words, understanding 
distribution pattern through the use of quadrat analysis. 
2- STUDY AREA 
The setting of this study spans an area of 18000 square 
kilometers and it includes parts of the cities of Charoymak, 
Hastroud, Maraghe, Malekan, Bonab, Ajabshir, Oskou, 
Azarshahr, Marand, tabriz, Bostanabad in Eastern Azerbaijan 
province, and parts of Miyandob city in western Azerbaijan. 
The area lies within E 47 16" to E 45 11" and N 36 53" to N 
38 29". The rivers which flow through this area are connected to 
two basins of Mazandaran Sea and Urmia Lake which include 
Gharangou, Aidogmoush, Zarrine Roud, Simine Roud, Talkhe 
Roud, Soil Chai, Shabestar and Tasouj. 
Figure 1. Topography and archaeological site distributions map 
of eastern Lake Urmia shores, Northwestern Iran 
The main elevation in this area are Sahand heights-above 2000 
meters- in the eastern part of the Lake. In the northern part lie 
Mishadoagh mountain and a range of adjacent mountains such 
as, Takhat Solyiman, Bozkosh, Sabalan, and Gharedadh to the 
north and northeast. Underneath these heights there are valleys, 
plains, plateaus and in-between roads. Similarly, major faults of 
Azerbaijan can be identified here which give rise to a lot of 
geological phenomena of the region. Despite the fact that there 
is enough rain due to snow and cold weather and despite the 
presence of the stony and steep slopes of Sahand, the area isn’t 
covered with lots of plant. However, small wild almond trees in 
Shorkat area near Urmia could be seen (Figure 1). 
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