At the upcoming 34th Rhein-Ruhr-Workshop on “Applied Mathematics, Approximation Theory and Numerical Mathematics” on 17.-18.01.2025 in Bestwig (Sauerland) the two mathematicians Max Brockmann and Lena Perlberg from HESCOR will present their methodologies on modelling past migration dynamics.

Max Brockmann will introduce his latest research on uncovering the dynamics of human migration during the Paleolithic and Neolithic periods in Europe through advanced mathematical methods. Given the challenges posed by incomplete and fragmented archaeological data, Brockmann’s work offers a novel approach to tracing past human movements. He models population dynamics using partial differential equations (PDEs) on networks, with migration corridors mapped based on archaeological sites. The complex PDEs on metric graphs are solved with multigrid methods to simulate the migration patterns of humans in the past.

Student assistant Lena Perlberg, in collaboration with Max Brockmann, uses least-cost-path analysis to model potential migration routes during the Paleolithic and Neolithic periods in Europe. By integrating archaeological data, their research identifies the most likely pathways used by stone age people. The model incorporates both geographical features and cultural connections, utilizing algorithms such as Dijkstra’s to simulate the effort-based decisions that influenced human movement in the past.
These interdisciplinary approaches seamlessly integrate sophisticated mathematical techniques with archaeological evidence, shedding new light on the mobility of early humans in Europe.

Workshop: https://www.fernuni-hagen.de/angewandte-mathematik/rrw/veranstaltungen/workshop2025.shtml