Origin and Spatial Patterns of Rural Settlements in Vijayapura District, Karnataka : using Gis Technquies

ABSTRACT: A settlement is a permanently occupied human dwelling place that signifies a community of dwellings and associated buildings, ranging from a hamlet to a metropolis or megalopolis. The origin of human settlements is shrouded in countless stories of the past. However, some factors that influence the settlement of humans in a particular place can be easily predicted. These factors include the site of the settlement, the natural availability of water, soil fertility, micro-climate, accessibility, elevation, and the availability of forest and mineral resources. Settlement pattern denotes the shape or arrangement of settlements in relation to natural or man-made features such as streams, ridges, canals, and roads. In the study of settlement patterns, two fundamental considerations must be taken into account. First, the pattern should be abstracted from the habitat. Second, the pattern should also depend on the kind of houses people wish to construct, which may include cattle sheds, granaries, and out houses. The area around the five rivers in the old Bijapur district served as the home for the activities of the Old Stone Age man. Implements belonging to the early Stone Age are found in numerous places in the vicinity of the River Krishna and its tributaries, Ghataprabha and Malaprabha. In the river basin of Ghataprabha, Anagavadi, Honnihalli, Sindagi, Edahalli, Kovalli, Asangi, Padasalagi, etc., are important Old Stone Age sites. Similarly, places like Kolhara, Beerakabbi, Sangam, Alamatti, Sitimani, Yalaguru, etc., on the bank of the River Krishna also have remains of Early Stone Age settlements. Among the Early Stone Age settlements discovered in the district, Khyad on the banks of Malaprabha and Anagavadi on the banks of Ghataprabha are very important. The present investigation is based on primary and secondary data. Secondary data were collected from the census of Vijayapura district in 2011 and topographical maps and Google Earth Pro Software and GIS techniques have been employed to know actual status of the settlement patterns. Different patterns of settlements are found in the study area, such as Linear Pattern, Square Pattern, Rectangular Pattern, Triangular Pattern, Semi-Circular Pattern, Star Pattern, L-Shaped Pattern, Y-Shaped Pattern, and Other Shaped Patterns like C, H, I, S, T, X, Z patterns, etc. Additionally, some village patterns have shapes similar to or approaching related shapes.