ABSTRACT
SHEEP (Simulating Hominin Expansion in the Early Pleistocene) is an Agent-based model (ABM) of the first Out of Africa hominin dispersal, designed to explore the spatial pattern of Lower Palaeolithic site distribution in Europe. The SHEEP model uses a deterministic environmental approach to evaluate potential routes into Europe and their impact on the pattern of site distribution in the eastern and western parts of the continent. The model consists of three main simulated elements: 1) population growth, 2) a spatial spreading process and 3) the friction map, which includes both environmental and topographic information. The impact of different geographical projections on the outcome of the model has been evaluated. The results show that we are unable to reproduce the null hypothesis and observed spatial pattern of European sites is not a result of differences in dispersal routes. This case study showcases the use of ABM as a simple and efficient tool for hypotheses testing with a high potential for archaeological applications.
