Landscapes of (dis)connection: Modelling connectivity in west Samos with least cost path analysis

Abstract

This study explores connectivity in west Samos, an island whose landscape was defined by steep topography and which was largely inaccessibly by sea in the winter months. The first part of this paper reviews bibliographic, cartographic, ethnographic and archaeological evidence for terrestrial connectivity, while the second applies least cost path analysis to investigate possible routes between five key sites in southwest Samos to five key sites in the northwest. The GIS-rendered routes are compared to the field data to further explore the finer details of pathfinding and environment. All data types indicate the importance of route-making along two major river courses, the Megalo Rema and the Fourniotiko. Early Modern travelogues, ethnographic interviews, and maps all highlight the importance of seasonal waterways for cutting through areas of steep slope gradient. Both in exploratory hikes taken by the author and in GIS modelling, the Megalo Rema is deemed to be the more effective waterway for connecting south to north, while the construction of the island’s modern road network largely deviates from the calculated least cost routes. Anisotropic modelling is also employed to estimate travel times along the least cost paths. It is suggested that a return journey by foot or donkey is possible between the two sides of the island in one day, but that travel by loaded cart would have been impractical in most situations. These findings contribute to broader debates on island connectivity in the Aegean, emphasising the role of terrestrial pathways in supplementing maritime networks.