Rural Geography   Identifying characteristics of the cultural landscape - rural settlements. The field area The Calimanesti element of the fieldwork programme and the fieldwork excursions to southern Transylvania and eastwards towards Brasov and Bucharest provide us with the opportunity to pass through a variety of culturally complex culture areas and landscapes. We can expect to find significant variations in the characteristics of rural settlements between Calimanesti and Sibiu or between Bucharest and Brasov. Both these journeys involve moving between the northern Wallachian plain and the southern edge of the Transylvanian plateau. Both journeys involve crossing ancient borders (significantly the interface of the Austro-Hungarian empire and the Ottoman empire) and crossing the massively important Carpathian mountain range. Rural landscape Geographers have traditionally studied three important aspects of the rural landscape. These are: · the pattern of rural settlement · field patterns · house or farmstead characteristics Much work was done by European geographers in the early years of this century to categorise rural settlements. It is noteworthy that patterns laid down over 800 years ago are still seen reflected in the landscape of today. Romania is in an important position within Europe with respect to all three of the above aspects.