Settlement models, land use and visibility in rural landscapes: Two case studies in Greece

Settlement models and geographical site analysis contribute to the understanding of the ecological functioning of the landscape. In assessing land qualities, there is an increasing interest to include visibility analysis. The hypothesis is that settlements traditionally locate on places where the more fertile and intensively used grounds can easily be controlled. This can be tested in traditional landscapes where the initial settlement pattern and associated visibility are not very disturbed. This paper analyses two cases of traditional settlements in Greece, on the island of Paros (Cyclades) and on the Lassithi plain (Crete), which are exemplary for two distinct settlement models, respectively the island and the basin model. The relationship between settlement pattern, land use zoning and landscape visibility is analysed using a geographical information system (GIS). Cumulative and single viewshed analysis are performed for all settlements in the study areas using different distance zones, one in the visible proximity up to 1.2 km and one more extended in the landscape up to 4.7 km. Both cases show great degree of visual control of the territory. Intensively used land is significantly more visible. The relationship between visibility and land use varies however with the viewing distance and settlement model. Visibility is a factor explaining the settlement pattern. (C) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.