The Basics of Least Cost Analysis for Archaeological Applications

White, Devin Alan

doi:10.7183/2326-3768.3.4.407

Cited by 90Archaeological Research and ProtectionUrban Design and Spatial AnalysisArchaeology and Cultural Heritage

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The Basics of Least Cost Analysis for Archaeological Applications

White, Devin Alan·2015·Advances in Archaeological Practice

DOI 10.7183/2326-3768.3.4.407

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Abstract

Least Cost Analysis (LCA) is a geospatially focused quantitative approach that can help archaeologists better understand how people may have moved across a landscape. At its core is the assumption that humans make decisions about movement as fully rational actors with complete knowledge of the landscape, attempting to minimize the cost of that movement as they travel from one location to another. LCA is most often used to construct a small number of hypothetical routes between locations of interest and, when used effectively, can even lead to the creation of entire transportation networks. Desktop GIS software packages, both commercial and open source, make running LCA relatively straightforward, but that does not necessarily mean that the output is informative or accurate. The following tutorial is designed to expose the reader to the foundational steps required to complete an LCA workflow, along with the scientific rationale behind each step and how to avoid potential pitfalls that one might run into along the way. Relevant literature is cited throughout the tutorial in order to provide context for the technical methods that underpin available tools, to suggest various ways that LCA can be used to solve archaeological problems, and to show the art of the possible.

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The relative travel cost for each land cover class was defined using expert knowledge assimilating the relative ranking from other studies and considered criteria such as vegetation density and soil condition.
“The relative travel cost was defined using expert knowledge assimilating the relative ranking from other studies [16,56] (Table 2) and considered criteria such as vegetation density (e.g., close vs. open forest) and soil condition (wetland vs. bare surface).”
From Past human mobility corridors and least-cost path models south of general carrera lake, central west patagonia (46° S, south america) (2022) · cites this paper as [16]
LCP analyses are based on today's concepts of travel optimization, and travel routes may differ depending on factors such as load, weather conditions, and quality of datasets.
“For example, LCP analyses are based on today's concepts of travel optimization, and travel routes may differ depending on factors such as load (cargo), weather conditions, and the quality of datasets [16].”
From Past human mobility corridors and least-cost path models south of general carrera lake, central west patagonia (46° S, south america) (2022) · cites this paper as [16]
LCP models are dependent on mobility cost criterion (input data) which have uncertainties and biases.
“LCP models are dependent on mobility cost criterion (input data) which have uncertainties and biases [16,19].”
From Past human mobility corridors and least-cost path models south of general carrera lake, central west patagonia (46° S, south america) (2022) · cites this paper as [16]

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From distant volcanoes: obsidian and early Neolithic connections on the Şanlıurfa plateauPreprint
Schwartzman, D. J., Chis-Ciure, R., & Hall, R. (2026) · doi:10.33774/coe-2026-2pcwq-v2

Authors: White, D. A.
Venue: Advances in Archaeological Practice
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Published: 2015-11
Volume: 3
Issue: 4
Pages: 407-414
ISSN: 2326-3768 (ISSN-L)
DOI: 10.7183/2326-3768.3.4.407
OpenAlex: W2557563356
Cited by: 90
References: 12
Citations by year: 2026: 15 · 2025: 14 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 17 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 1
FWCI: 1.29
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Licence: www.cambridge.org/core/terms (unspecified, 442 d)
Locations: Advances in Archaeological Practice (publishedVersion)
OSTI OAI (U.S. Department of Energy Office of Scientific and Technical Information) (submittedVersion)
Funders: Battelle
Topics: Social Sciences › Archeology › Archaeological Research and Protection
Social Sciences › Urban Studies › Urban Design and Spatial Analysis
Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Archeology (arts and humanities) › Archaeology and Cultural Heritage
Keywords: cost-minimization analysis, human movement, landscape archaeology, transportation networks, route construction, cost surface, rational actor model

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The Basics of Least Cost Analysis for Archaeological Applications

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