The proper place for settlement depended on the existence of a river or spring, the air currents, the existence of materials for building houses, the possibilities for protecting the settlement preconditioned by the relief, and the like. The foundation of settlements came as a result of deliberate and wise selection by the first settlers, based on the knowledge about dependence on the surrounding environment, the instinct for preservation of the clan and traditions, as well as their idea for the future economic prosperity of the community. A favorable factor for settlement was also considered to be the existence of nearby Christian (or other cult) spiritual places that were honored, proximity of cultural monuments, etc.
Sometimes new settlements were founded near older, abandoned or destroyed settlements, as the constructional materials from the ruins were used to build the new ones. The majority of the settlements formed along the transport and trade routes, but the concrete placement of the settlement was again affected by the geographical and nature factors.
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