On their way home ... a network analysis of medieval caravanserai distribution in the syrian region, according to an 1D approach

Abstract

The common theory on caravanserais states that they were built at one-day's march distance from each other. Such a pattern may fit some situations, but it does not seem to be present in Syria during the Ayyubid (1174-1260 CE) and Mamluk periods (1260-1517 CE), when most of the region's caravanserais were founded. Caravanserais built during these periods do not seem to follow a precise pattern of distribution along the communication axis of Syria and, as a result, the logic that underlines their distribution remains unclear. The authors face the problem through a GIS-based, network analysis approach that takes into account the building period of each structure and the one-dimensional criterion of distance to its nearest neighbour, also considered in relation to the closeness to urban centres. The results of the analysis are then compared to the historical Syrian caravan networks. The outcomes show interesting aspects both in terms of understanding the route organization, and of predictive methods for focusing on areas where structures not yet located may be expected.