Archaeology has been developping a global approach, in which every aspects of the environment and its evolution are taken into
account. This approach implies the collaboration of several disciplines (human ecology, geology, pedology, botanic, palynology,
geography, anthropology, history, linguistic, archaeozoology...) and the intervention of very diverse sources (soils, organic and
mineral micro- and macro-remains, old maps, aerial photography, writtent and iconographic documents, lexica, toponyms...). Without
neglecting the rural spaces, several research programs carried out by the CReA-Patrimoine focus on the exploration of cities.
Delimitation of the urban space, setting up of the quarters, development of the craft or commercial activities, water supply, insertion of
the power symbols and marks in the landscape of the city, development rates of the settlement, these are the questions which
constitute the main axes of researches of several teams.