Predictive modelling of settlement sites used to be all the rage. 

The independent variables were slope of ground, direction of view, elevation in landscape, closeness to water, closeness to edible resources, etc..

The dependent variable was the probability of sites, or estimates of the number of sites.

My question is whether any attempt has been made to apply predictive modelling to burials.

I'm not talking about pie in the sky stuff, but a study where real data were fed into the 'equation', and predictions emerged that were subsequently tested by ground truthing.

Any advice will be welcome, but please don't tell me that I am naive to think it can be done. The point is that I don't think it can be done. 

Of course we might use the independent variables of softness of ground and pH of soil to put a circle around some hectares of terrain, but what about predictive modelling within those circled areas?


Richard Wright