GIS as a heuristic tool to interpret ancient historiography: A case study to reconstruct what could plausibly have happened according to the accounts in New Testament texts

V. van Altena, J. Krans, H. Bakker, J. Stoter

Research output: Contribution to JournalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

© 2021 The Authors. Transactions in GIS published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.This article examines how GIS can be used as a heuristic tool to reconstruct spatial–temporal events from narratives in order to examine whether a scenario is conceivable within the narrative world. The narrative about Paul's escape from Berea (Acts 17:14–15) is used as a case study. Several interpretive issues related to spatial and temporal questions surround these texts. In the case study, three methods are applied: (a) least-cost path analysis on elevation data to construct journeys and travel times for Roman roads; (b) network analysis to find seafaring routes valid for ancient times; and (c) the integration of spatial and temporal data in a space-time cube. Our main finding is that the method yields insights into the spatial–temporal dynamics of the narrative. This helps a modern reader to better understand the narrative conceivability of a story in the mind of a first-century reader.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1193-1212
JournalTransactions in GIS
Volume25
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jun 2021

Funding

Jantien Stoter has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program (Grant/Award Number: 677312 UMnD).

FundersFunder number
Horizon 2020 Framework Programme
European Research Council
Horizon 2020677312

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