Appendix: Mycenaean roads in the Peloponnese, Greece: least-cost path modelling using R and Movecost

Abstract This study introduces a refined methodology for Least Cost Path (LCP) modelling within the archaeological research of ancient roads, focusing on the remains of Mycenaean road networks in the Peloponnese, Greece. Utilising GIS and the R programming environment, this paper employs the Movecost package for the R statistical package to simulate ancient routes based on existing road segments. By integrating a variety of cost functions and parameters, this study evaluates their effectiveness across different Digital Elevation Models (DEM), including both Shuttle Radar Topography Mission DEM (SRTM-DEM) and Copernicus DEM (COP-DEM) at 30 m spatial resolution. The road segments around Nichoria (Messenia), Ayios Ioannis Kazarma (Argolis), and in the Berbati Valley (Argolis), provide a historical canvas against which these methodological innovations are tested with the ultimate aim of determining which mix of DEM, cost function, parameter and path points model the route through the existing road remains. The results suggest that the ‘Wheeled-vehicle critical slope cost function’ (WCS) better modelled the roads through the extant remains based on start and endpoints suggested by previous research and posited by this paper. The several parameters tested had a variable impact on the results. This analysis underscores the importance of careful parameter selection, providing insights into the economic and social landscapes of Mycenaean Greece. The study highlights the potential of integrating spatial data with robust computational tools to enhance our understanding of ancient infrastructure.