ABSTRACT
Geographic information system (GIS)-based multicriteria/multiobjective predictive models have been successfully used to predict the location of archaeological sites. However, such models often lack explanatory power and are unable to identify the range of behaviors occurring at the archaeological sites they locate. The research presented here-making use of the multicriteria/multiobjective decision-support tools found within the GIS environment and with guidance from “satisficer” approaches and decision theory-proposes a model that simulates behaviors resulting from the decisions made by prehistoric hunter-gatherers. The proposed model, based on a hypothesized huntergatherer adaptive strategy, can be used to simulate the location and nature of activities relating to resource use and settlement within the landscape and, thus, to predict the types of sites or activity areas that would be expected within a region.
