“Over the Hills and Far Away”: New Approaches to Interaction Across Southern Iran in Late Prehistory

The Iranian plateau is the key geographical feature that links Western Asia to the South Asian subcontinent and Central Asia. The plateau is fringed by mountain ranges and piedmont zones, and much of the centre of the plateau is either mountainous or is dominated by deserts. Despite its formidable geography, from the Neolithic period onwards,the plateau was occupied by sedentary communities who appear to have interacted over long distances. Although ancient sites often appear to be situated along ancient routes, it is not always clear how ancient populations moved across the landscape, and which specific parameters were most important to that movement, and also reasons that drove theselection of specific locations for the establishment of settlements. It is also unclear how and why these patterns of settlement and movement changed over time. This paper will explore the issue of mobility across the Iranian plateau by considering the relationship between routes, landscapes and settlements, and the dynamics of movement, interaction,interconnection, and transmission. It will explore these issues through the investigation of settlement distribution and remote sensing analysis of landscapes to identify corridors of movement that are distinct from least cost paths. The approach that is presented will highlight ways in which the Open Access Google Earth Engine can be used tocarry out sophisticated analysis. Particular attention will be given to the landscape context of settlements across the Iranian Plateau that date to the Neolithic and the Early and Late Chalcolithic periods, and the dynamics of distance and mobility in this challenging landscape over time.