A preliminary approach to sound propagation simulation in archaeological settlements

Abstract

Archaeological approaches to landscapes and places have traditionally focused on the visual permeability of enclosures, leaving aside other sensory modalities. This dominant trend has been gradually challenged by contributions from various disciplines such as geography, proxemics, sociology, acoustic engineering and archeology itself. In this paper, we present the way in which we sought to combine traditional visibility analysis with acoustic simulations using 3D-models. Based on a case study from the archaeological settlement of Las Pailas (North Calchaquí Valley, Salta province, Argentina), we explored two hypothetical settings that combine visibility analysis with acoustic simulations. Results, though preliminary, indicate that including sound dispersion analysis might be useful in further assessing the permeability of public and domestic enclosures. It also allowed us to identify some limitations and future research directions.