As hunter-gatherers we lived in fairly intimate bands of between about 100 and 250 individuals, the men exploring widely and patrolling the territory, the women, old people, children and perhaps some of the skilled craftsmen staying in the centre. After this (circa 8,000 BC) came the well-protected agricultural city states of perhaps 1,000 to 5,000 individuals. Then agriculture spread much more widely around the globe and most of the population were fairly scattered in homesteads wherever the ground could support farming hamlets, with villages and townships arising where it was convenient for trade and social gathering. Many of the latter still exist, of course, in Asia; and historians know a great deal about the medieval towns of Europe.
Of the latter, some of their ancient traditions still persist in one form or another in the form of town criers, town bands and so on. Many of these have a very ancient origin indeed, from the need to patrol and guard the settlement to the musical instruments of ceremonials - connected with war parties.
If the unstable era of excessive individualism of modern times gives way, once again, to small-scale communities and townships, then traditions will probably arise again quite naturally. Perhaps, in some urban localities, people might start thinking once again of local bands of musicians and singers who could give street performances once a week or once a month to help social togetherness.
Keith Hudson, The Job Society, 6 Upper Camden Place, Bath BA1 5XH (tel 01225 312622; fax 01225 447727; e-mail: <k.hudson@bbcnc.org.uk>).
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