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Modelling and measuring complexity of traditional and ancient technologies using Petri nets
Sebastian Fajardo1, Jetty Kleijn2, Frank W Takes2
1Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands.
Plos One
|November 29, 2022
Summary
Archaeologists can now systematically compare ancient production systems using Petri nets (PNs). This novel approach models complexity, revealing concurrent processes in traditional adhesive making.
Area of Science:
- Archaeological science
- Anthropological studies
- Computational modeling
Background:
- Archaeologists and anthropologists face challenges in defining and comparing the complexity of socio-technical production systems.
- Existing methods struggle with non-sequential processes and fail to model activities and resources distinctly.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce a novel approach for assessing the behavioral and structural complexity of production systems.
- To utilize Petri nets (PNs) as a formal modeling tool for analyzing socio-technical systems.
Main Methods:
- Developed a method using Petri nets (PNs) to model and analyze production systems.
- Applied the PN approach to two traditional Ju/'hoan adhesive production systems in Namibia.
- Conducted simulations to assess the complexity of these systems.
Main Results:
- Petri nets (PNs) effectively model the inherent complexity, concurrency, and action/resource aspects of production systems.
- Simulations revealed concurrency in adhesive technology production and demonstrated how location changes can control behavioral complexity.
- The approach allows for detailed assessment of structural and behavioral complexity in different production scenarios.
Conclusions:
- Petri nets (PNs) offer a robust framework for systematically analyzing and comparing ancient production systems.
- This method overcomes limitations of previous approaches, enabling better understanding of complex socio-technical processes.
- The study paves the way for advanced visualization and analysis of historical production technologies.
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