DETERMINING THE OPTIMAL SETTLEMENT LOCATING OF ANCIENT SITES USING TOPSIS MULTI-CRITERIA DECISION MODEL: A CASE STUDY: ESTABLISHMENTS IN MOUNTAINOUS AREAS OF NORTH KHORASAN, NORTHEAST IRAN

Human settlements emerged based on natural factors such as adequate water resources and suitable fertile soil. Other altitude, slope, slope direction, the distance to permanent sources, communication paths are substrates that affect distribution of human settlements, some which have a more influential role in formation survival life. This study aims investigate status Iron Age settlement Atrak River Basin. To achieve objectives research hierarchical analysis sites, seven variables, including landing, soil type, rivers, routes been effective establishing selected by using statistical methods GIS, TOPSIS process, Excel, they finally studied. In terms analysis, from river, Landuse assigned most ideal values. The degree, above sea level Slope Direction lowest value, respectively. Based this, IAMA60 site ranked first, IAMA49 second, IAMA18 third indicators. rank, IAMA25, IAMA35, IAMA56 sites located. addition these, rest considered relatively privileged areas.