Work

Siting Principles of the Ancient Postal Buildings Under Environmental Constraints

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Human–environment interactions in antiquity were fundamentally shaped by environmental constraints, with spatial patterns of human construction works reflecting strategic resource optimization. This study employed Geographic Information System (GIS) and binary logistic regression (BLR) to analyze the siting principles of ancient postal buildings in Fujian, China, integrating related environmental factors of elevation, slope, relief amplitude, and distance to rivers. The results revealed significant spatial differentiation, with elevation exhibiting the strongest influence on siting preference, followed by slope, relief amplitude, and distance to rivers. Clustering patterns along coasts and rivers indicated a strategic balance between transmission efficiency and military defense needs. The applicability of the integrated GIS–BLR approach in studying the ancient postal system demonstrates its extensibility to other ancient settlement systems while offering insights for contemporary conservation practice and sustainable development.

Source: Buildings

DOI: 10.3390/buildings15173047

Authors: Bei Wu, Lifeng Tan

Institutions: China Architecture Design & Research Group (China), Tsinghua University, Tianjin University, Tianjin Chengjian University

Language: English

Topic: Archaeological Research and Protection

Subfield: Space and Planetary Science

Field: Earth and Planetary Sciences

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Sustainable cities and communities, Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,137