Book excerpt: State-formation and the emergence of civilization have been two of the major arenas of debate in Aegean prehistory for the last twenty five years. The process of urbanization has therefore been at the forefront of scholarly debate. Bronze Age towns, however, have largely been ignored, particularly at a generalized level. Research has usually focused on their architecture, and particularly their elite or public architecture, rather than their general nature and character, and many studies have been restricted to a single town or even a single building. This volume redresses the balance and draws attention and thought not only to urban settlements as a whole but to their social and economic roles, their demographic significance and ultimately to their character and personality.