A Study on Cultural Changes in Hourand Region,Based on Spatial Distribution Analysis of the Chalcolithic Sites in Relation to the Environmental and Geographical Factors

The present article introduces a model for distribution of the Chalcolithic sites in Houran located in the eastern part of Azerbaijan. The main aim of this research is to show how environmental and geographic factors could influence site selection and how it can determine a model for settlement pattern in a specific region. Hence, seventeen sites dated back to the Chalcolithic period (a date between sixth to fourth millennium BC) have been analyzed. The proposed model for site catchment as well as distribution pattern of human settlements in Hourand is based on the ArcGis software outputs, multi-variants statistical methods and digital geographic data. This research indicates also that environmental conditions played a major role in the selection of the region for habitation. To conclude, after analyzing the spatial distribution of the sites, it is clear that three geographic factors such as altitude, access to the main routes and water resources are the main environmental factors providing a convenient natural setting for human populations during the Chalcolithic period