目前所見討論土地信仰的研究，較少綜合考古、民俗及傳世文獻立論。也少有學者分期闡述單一時代土地信仰的變化。本文嘗試將土地信仰大分為原始及文明時期(先秦)，並分層論說。得出先秦土地神崇拜演變：第一階段，將大地視做自然神，祂被賦予「母親」的形象；第二階段，崇拜已經被擬人化的土地神；第三階段，崇拜分散於各地各級的社。本文發現後來的土地神祇，除了佑護人們、保障農作物之豐收外，也兼任司鬼魂之神。但這個變化並非各地統一如此，而是各有進程、具地區性差異的。

There are less researching about land initiative according digging, folk and writting documents. There are less scholars focus to the different change of land apotheosis of different ages. We try to divide two ages of land apotheosis history and research how they different. Then we get the conclusion: In the first stage, Land gods are kinds of nature god. Some of them are clothed with the form of mother. In the second stage, people anthropomorphize land gods. In the third stage, people adore every place and every kind of "社". Except for protecting and keeping people having adequate clothing and food, Land gods manage ghosts too. But there are different processes in different places.