This book is the first-ever monograph on clustering patterns in prehistoric settlements. It not only theoretically explains the difference between natural settlement communities and organizational forms for the first time, but also demonstrates the importance of understanding this difference in practical research. Based on extensive archaeological data from China and focusing on the evolution of prehistoric settlements and changing social relations, the book completely breaks with the globally popular research mode which is based on the assumption that settlement archaeology has nothing to do with prehistoric social organization. In terms of research methods, the book also abandons the globally popular method of measuring the grade and importance of settlements according to their size and the value of the unearthed objects. Instead, it focuses on understanding settlements' attributes from the combined perspective of the group and individuals.On the one hand, the book proves that the clustering patterns in prehistoric settlement sites reflect the organizational forms of the time; on the other, it demonstrates that historical research focusing on the organizational forms of prehistoric societies is closer to the historical reality and of more scientific value. The intended readership includes graduates and researchers in the field of archaeology, or those who are interested in cultural relics and prehistoric settlements.

Auteur
Anping Pei is a Professor and Doctoral Supervisor working in the Cultural Relics and Museum Department of Nanjing Normal University. In 1994, the excavation of the Bashidang site, which he led, won the third prize for field archaeological excavations presented by the State Administration of Cultural Heritage. In 2000, he was awarded the title of 'excellent expert' by the State Ministry of Culture and won the first prize for the cultural sector presented by Hunan Province. He has published numerous articles in respected national and international journals. His representative works include The Rice Cultivation Culture of the Yangtze River Basin (2004), Agriculture, Culture and Society (2006) and A Corpus of Pre-historic Rice Cultivation Studies (2009).

Contenu
Introduction I. The Historical Background of the Research on the Clustering Pattern of Settlements II. The Realistic Significance of the Research on the Clustering Pattern of Settlements III. The Scientific Evidence of the Research on the Clustering Pattern of Settlements IV. The Basic Content and Characteristics of the Research on the Clustering Pattern of Settlements V. The Feasibility of the Research on the Clustering Pattern of Settlements
Chapter 1  The Clustering Pattern of Sites in the Paleolithic Age
I. The Clustering of Paleolithic Sites and Its Characteristics 1. 1 The Clustering of Paleolithic Sites in All Parts of the Country 1.2 The Basic Characteristics of the Clustering of Paleolithic Sites in China II. The Basic Attributes of the Clustering Pattern of Paleolithic Sites 2.1 A Brief Review of Previous Studies 2.2 Discussions About Some Related Questions A Brief Summary of This Chapter Chapter 2  The Clustering Pattern of Settlements in the Middle Neolithic Era
I. The Organizing and Clustering Phenomena of Settlements in Different Areas 1.1 The Liyang Plain in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River 1.2 The area to the south of the Qiantang River in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River 1.3 The area around the Songshan Mountain in the middle reaches of the Yellow River 1.4 The lower reaches area of the Yellow River 1.5 The northern area II. The Basic Attributes of the Settlement Clustering and Organizational Pattern 2.1 Ethnological materials at home and abroad 2.2 Understanding of Basic Attributes of Clustering and Organizational Patterns of Settlements A Brief Summary of This Chapter Chapter 3 The Clustering Pattern of Settlements in the Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River in the Late Neolithic Period
I. The Settlement Organizations in the Daxi Culture Period and Their Clustering Patterns  1.1 The changes of natural settlement communities 1.2 The changes of settlement organization and clustering patterns II. The Settlement Organizations in the Qujialing Culture Period and Their Clustering Patterns 2.1 The changes of natural settlement communities 2.2 The changes of settlement organization and clustering patterns III. The Organizational and Clustering Pattern of Settlements in the Shijiahe Culture Period 3.1 The historical background 3.2 The change of organizational and clustering pattern of settlements  3.3 The change of natural settlement communities A Brief Summary of This Chapter
Chapter 4 The Clustering Pattern of Settlements in the Middle Reaches of the Yellow River in the Late Neolithic Age
I. An Overview of Previous Studies 1.1 The existing research modes 1.2 The issues worthy of further discussion II. The Organizational and Clustering Pattern of Settlements in the Yangshao Culture Period 2.1 The change of natural settlement communities 2.2 The change of settlement organizational and clustering pattern III. The Settlement Organization and Clustering Pattern in the Longshan Culture Period 3.1 The new change of natural settlement communities 3.2 The new change of settlement organization and clustering pattern A Brief Summary of This Chapter

Chapter 5 The Clustering Pattern of Settlements in the Lower Reaches of the Yellow River in the Late Neolithic Era I. The Natural Settlement Communities 1.1 Large geographical units and natural settlement communities 1.2 The small and medium-sized physical geographical units and natural...