Assessing Social Change in the Past through AI and Geospatial Archaeology

Photograph of Bronze Age landscapes in Transylvania (Romania).

Can we use archaeology, geospatial analyses, and AI to determine when and how inequality become a part of human societies? 

Project description

Transylvania was the setting for dramatic social transformations during the Bronze Age around 4000 years ago. A key question remains: how did inequality become a common part of European societies? Tracking changes in where people chose to live is a key line of evidence archaeologists use to understand social, economic, and political transformations in the past. In this project, students will create a digital database of archaeological site locations from Transylvania and use AI to analyze geospatial patterns. The project will be conducted in two phases. The first phase will include the digitization and data management of Transylvanian site locations contained in documentation related to the excavations. To complete this work, students will pour through previously published site reports to gather data about Bronze Age settlements, including site size, when they were occupied, and their spatial layout and location. In phase two, students will use GIS and AI to analyze changes in settlement patterns over time in order to identify evidence of inequality. Students will develop and test hypotheses about the relationship between where people chose to live and the presence or absence of inequality in Bronze Age Transylvanian societies. By monitoring shifts in settlement patterns, students will be able to contribute new understandings of how past societies change over time. Students will present the results of their experiential research at a major academic conference. 

Project outcome

There are two main project outcomes:

  1. Students will create new GIS databases based on previously published but analog site locations. Students will gain computational skills and be able to execute archaeological research using machine learning AI techniques.
  2.  Students will present the results of these analyses at the 2027 Society for American Archaeology meetings in Indianapolis. The transferrable skills developed through conducting this research project will prepare students for future careers and educational opportunities. The conference presentation and eventual publication of their results will be an important opportunity for professional development. 

Project details

Timing, eligibility and other details
Length of commitment Year-long (10-12 months)
Start time Spring (January/February)
In-person, remote, or hybrid? In-person project
Level of collaboration Individual student project
Benefits Stipend
Who is eligible

Freshmen

Sophomores

Juniors

Project mentor

Colin Quinn

Associate Professor

Anthropology

Phone: (716) 645-0403

Email: cpquinn@buffalo.edu

Start the project

  1. Email the project mentor using the contact information above to express your interest and get approval to work on the project. (Here are helpful tips on how to contact a project mentor.)
  2. After you receive approval from the mentor to start this project, click the button to start the digital badge. (Learn more about ELN's digital badge options.) 
Start the Digital Badge

Preparation activities

Once you begin the digital badge series, you will have access to all the necessary activities and instructions. Your mentor has indicated they would like you to also complete the specific preparation activities below. Please reference this when you get to Step 2 of the Preparation Phase. 

Attend orientation meeting with Dr. Colin Quinn, including a tour of the GIS archaeology lab. 

Keywords

AI, anthropology, archaeology, inequality, geography, geospatial