MovementAnalysis_ResearchData_alAndalus

This study presents a methodological approach for reconstructing hypothetical maritime routes in the western Mediterranean during the al-Andalus period, using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) as a central analytical tool. By combining multi-criteria spatial analysis with both Least-Cost Path (LCP) and Accumulated Cost Surface (ACS) modelling, we simulate navigation trajectories across the Alboran Sea between the Iberian Peninsula and North Africa. These simulations incorporate environmental factors such as wind direction, intensity, and seasonal variability, as well as nautical parameters including hull shape, tonnage, and propulsion systems. The resulting routes are evaluated against historical data drawn from the 11th-century Kitāb al-Masālik wa-l-Mamālik by al-Bakrī. Our findings suggest that while environmental factors significantly influenced mobility, human agency and maritime cognition played a pivotal role in determining navigational decisions. The study highlights the potential of GIS-based movement modelling to explore seascapes and cognitive maritime landscapes, contributing new insights into medieval Islamic seafaring and connectivity across the western Mediterranean.