Human activity occurs on many scales, and has many dependent variables. The interaction between humans and their surroundings has been the subject of intense debate, especially in recent years with the recognition of the hole in the ozone, global warming, and ecological destruction.
Three Fields of Landscape Studies
The ways to study the interrelatedness and interconnectedness between humans and their environment is becoming progressively broader, but consists of three main fields of study: geography (the study of the physical environment in which we live), archaeology (the examination of past human societies and their actions), and finally historical evidence left behind in writing or other evidence of past societies attitudes and practices.
Scenery vs. Landscape
An important distinction must be made between scenery and landscape. Scenery is what everyone sees on a daily basis, the physical world that they can interact with, such as the visual appeal of a flower or a stream. Landscape, however, is the same scenery but examined with an academically-trained eye. Professionals can look at a piece of scenery, and dissect it into it's component parts, and distinguish it's unique or distinct features: the landscape.
For example, the hedgerows of England can, on the surface, appear as quaint or cute and adds to the character of the land. Yet, through the trained eyes of an historian, the scenery of the hedgerows transforms into the landscape of an ancient land-division system: the hedgerows were established as markers, discerning where one piece of property ends, and another begins.
Role of Landscape in Early History
One of the major influences on the study of human activity is that this activity all occurs in historically, and geographically, specific contexts. In many cases, the visible landscape may only be the tip of the proverbial iceberg. For example, rivers, inlets, and estuaries served not only as ideal natural harbours, they also developed into burgeoning sites of trade empires. Oslo, Norway is a perfect example of how a natural sheltered harbour can emerge into one of the largest, and most powerful cities in the entire region.
It's no coincidence that the largest, most powerful cities of the ancient world (Rome, Constantinople, and Egypt) are all located on, or near, major sources of water
Inherent Needs of Humans
Despite that the ancient cities of the past were often separated by hundreds or even thousands of miles, the inherent similarities of all humans lead to similar patterns of environmental use (and abuse) across virtually all of history. Water, as discussed earlier, was critical to the survival of human ancestors, but after water, perhaps no other resource had such a dramatic impact on human settlement as wood.
Wood was the primary tool of the ancient world: firewood, construction, land clearance for agriculture, and ship building all had enormous impacts on the availability of wood, and the availability of wood, in turn, impacted human settlement patterns. Easter Island is perhaps one of the best examples of this. The island was once covered in lush forest, but after decades of clear-cutting for the use of timbers to erect their enormous stone statues, the land lost virtually all fertility, and the society died out.
The Role of Landscape Today
It is clear that geography, climate, and landscape played an enormous part in the settlement patterns of humans throughout history. By examining the landscapes of the ancient world, it becomes clear that, even centuries ago, humans recognized the role of landscape in determining where they settled.
Modern researchers can then take this information, and learn a little more about the humans of the ancient world, why they lived the way they did, and how we can apply this knowledge to our modern society. As much as modern society would like to forget it, the fact is that landscape plays just as important of a role today, as it did thousands of years ago.
Sources:
Aston, Martin. Interpreting the Landscape: Landscape Archaeology in Local Studies. London: B.T. Batsford, 1985.
Dale, V. et al. "Challenges in the Development and Use of Ecological Indicators" in Ecological Indicators. Vol. 1, 3-10. 2001.
Goudie, A.S. "Geography and Archaeology: The Growth of a Relationship" in Landscape and Culture: Geographical and Archaeological Perspectives ed. J.M. Wagstaff. Oxford: Basil Blackwell, 1987.
