ABSTRACT
The study of prehistoric settlement enjoys a central position in contemporary archaeology. The prominent role of settlement research within most regional and national traditions is confirmed by the proliferation of field projects and publications focusing primarily on ancient settlements during the 1990s. However, although the variety and abundance of these sites within the archaeological record suggests a need for careful attention to interpretative frameworks, settlements have not benefited from an evaluation of theoretical concerns particular to their study. Thus, there exists a considerable gap between the formulations of settlement presented in site reports and recent developments in archaeological theory. A clear example is the persistence of environmentally determinist interpretations of the relationship between settlement and landscape in many regional traditions. The absence of a critical review of the terminology and representation of settlement also leaves these important areas largely unexamined. The papers in this volume provide a response to these concerns by prioritizing the theoretical challenges that settlements present.
