An integrated relational geodatabase for spatial analysis and diachronic reconstruction of ancient landscapes: a case-study from the Metapontine chora

This dataset provides an integrated, multi-layered relational geodatabase for the documentation, GIS-based spatial analysis and diachronic reconstruction of ancient territorial landscapes, adopting the chora of Metaponto, located in the coastal area of present-day Basilicata (southern Italy), as a case study. The dataset system is grounded in methodological approaches developed within recent research on landscape assessment, data stratification and knowledge sharing in archaeology and cultural heritage studies (Carafa, Bianchini 2025; Carafa, Cecconi, De Stefano 2025). It integrates archaeological, geospatial and environmental datasets to support multi-scalar spatial analysis, landscape archaeology and the investigation of long-term interactions between settlement organisation, land use and environmental dynamics. The dataset is organised into three interrelated components. Dataset 1 (Geospatial Data) includes the topographic and cartographic layers forming the spatial reference framework of the system. These comprise a 10 m resolution Digital Elevation Model (DEM) and derived morphometric rasters (slope, aspect and Topographic Wetness Index), regional technical cartography, orthophotos and administrative boundaries. All layers are harmonised within a common coordinate reference system and distributed in standard GIS formats, ensuring interoperability, reproducibility and spatial accuracy for advanced spatial and morphometric analyses. Dataset 2 (Archaeological Data Inventory) constitutes the semantic and relational core of the system. Provided in tabular format, it compiles archaeological sites, topographical units (TUs), chronological periods and phases, and associated documentary, material, archaeobotanical and bioarchaeological records derived from published literature, excavations, systematic and non-systematic surveys, geophysical investigations and archival sources. A substantial portion of the archaeological data derives from the long-term research programmes conducted in the Metapontine territory, most notably those published within The Chora of Metaponto series (Carter, Prieto 2011; Lapadula 2012; Lanza Catti, Swift 2014; Silvestrelli, Edlund-Berry 2016; Carter, Swift 2018; Carter, Ortíz Galindo 2023). These legacy datasets, characterised by high analytical resolution and diachronic depth, have been systematically reviewed, standardised and restructured within a unified relational framework. Data are organised according to a hierarchical and diachronic data model, enabling aggregation from individual contexts to complexes, settlement units and broader territorial systems. Each record is identified by a unique alphanumeric key and documented through controlled vocabularies, standardised metadata and dedicated fields for uncertainty, spatial accuracy and data provenance, in compliance with FAIR data principles and Open Science best practices (Carafa, Bianchini 2025). Within Dataset 2, bioarchaeological data are structured in accordance with the IULIA database (DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17537451), ensuring interoperability with established standards for anthropological and osteological datasets and facilitating cross-platform reuse. Archaeobotanical records are harmonised with the ARBOREA database, adopting shared taxonomic criteria and nomenclature (DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17976540). Dataset 3 (Environmental, Pedological and Geomorphological Data) includes geological, hydrographic, soil, land-use and vegetation datasets that provide the environmental and geomorphological context for spatial modelling and land-suitability analysis. These layers support the assessment of soil properties, drainage conditions, resource availability and landscape processes relevant to settlement distribution, agricultural potential and land-use strategies, following analytical approaches widely applied in the study of ancient rural landscapes. The dataset focuses on a well-defined sample area of approximately 380 hectares, located along the middle course of the Basento River. Selected for its high density of archaeological evidence, environmental variability and the exceptional quality of legacy documentation produced by decades of systematic fieldwork, this area represents a representative micro-landscape within the broader Metapontine territory. It provides a controlled analytical context for testing integrated spatial, relational and modelling approaches, while remaining fully scalable to regional and inter-regional landscape analysis. All components are linked through a relational geodatabase architecture enabling cross-domain queries, spatial overlays, diachronic analysis and GIS-based modelling. Designed as an open-access and reusable dataset, the system provides a transferable methodological framework for comparative research in archaeology, geospatial analysis, landscape studies, cultural heritage management and environmental history, promoting transparency, reproducibility and long-term reuse of archaeological and spatial data.