Geospatial mapping of a 16th century transport corridor for Southeast Europe

Abstract

We need maximum slope values for carts and pack animals to model the historical traffic of people and goods before the advent of steam and internal combustion engines. With this article, we first calculate maximum slope averages for carts and pack animals by using an extensive geo-referenced and vectorized historical transport network for late 19th-century Southeast Europe. Then by utilizing these slopes and making joint use of the least-cost path, accumulated cost surfaces, and network analyses, we model the movement of carts and pack animals for a large segment of an Ottoman military campaign in 1532, which followed the Via Militaris, between Istanbul and Sofia. Lastly, we compare our modelled routes for carts and pack animals for the 16th century with the existing road infrastructure of the late 19th century.