Insolation and Palaeolithic settlement in the Anson River Valley (Cantabria, Spain)

Abstract

In this paper is analyzed the insolation of several sites throughout the Ason river valley (Cantabria, Spain) along the year. In order to calculate that insolation, the ESRI ArcView 3.2 GIS software has been used. The data obtained show a seasonal pattern in the number of insolation hour received in each site, according to its location through the Ason river valley. Those data had been compared with seasonality information available for some of the sites, in order to evaluate the influence of insolation in site location preferences, as a part of a general theoretical coastinland settlement pattern. The results will conclude that insolation has an influence in the decision making process when choosing a settle, but it cannot be use as a valid argument to define the seasonality of an occupation.