Archaeological Perspectives on Urban Sustainability: Issues and Reflections

This introductory article reviews some of the main issues associated with questions of urban sustainability and their archaeological analysis. Cities are at the centre of discussions around sustainability in our modern world, particularly in relation to climate change. Looking at the past can show how varieties of urban settlements have persisted and failed, which can inform ways to deal with current challenges. However, this is not a straightforward task and needs careful consideration of various issues. In particular, we discuss issues related to form, location, duration, and outcome. Cross-cultural analyses of urban sites based on comparable data need to be developed in order to make a real contribution to present-day discussions, including the concerns of policymakers.