Early clans of hunter-gatherers were not considered civilizations because they lacked key characteristics that define civilizations. Most importantly, hunter-gatherers were nomadic or semi-nomadic and did not build permanent towns or cities, which are essential features of civilization. Civilizations are characterized by settled urban life, complex social structures, specialized labor, and often the development of agriculture, while hunter- gatherers relied on hunting and gathering food from their environment without permanent settlements. Additionally, the size of hunter-gatherer groups was much smaller, and their social organization was generally less complex compared to civilizations. The absence of permanent settlements and urban development is the crucial distinction that excludes early hunter-gatherer clans from being considered civilizations.
