During the development of civilization, people united their scattered homes. This is how cities appeared. History has erected great settlements and just as mercilessly wiped them off the face of the Earth. Only a few cities were able to pass through the centuries, enduring all the blows of fate. The walls have stood in the sun and rain, they have seen eras come and go.
These cities became silent witnesses to how our civilization was revived and fell into decay. Today, not all the great cities of the past continue to provide shelter to people; many simply lie in ruins or have completely disappeared from the face of the Earth.
The British newspaper The Guardian selected the 15 most ancient cities in the world, each of which has its own unique architecture and unusual history. These places have so much ancient history that dates can only be given as approximate dates; historians are debating around them. So where does a person live continuously the longest?
Jericho, Palestinian Territories. This settlement appeared here 11 thousand years ago. This is the oldest residential city in the world, which was repeatedly mentioned in the Bible. Jericho is also known in ancient texts as the “city of palm trees.” Archaeologists found here the remains of 20 consecutive settlements, which made it possible to determine the venerable age of the city. The city is located near the Jordan River, on the western bank. Even today, about 20 thousand people live here. And the ruins of ancient Jericho are located west of the center of the modern city. Archaeologists were able to discover here the remains of a large tower from the pre-ceramic Neolithic period (8400-7300 BC). Jericho contains burial sites from the Chalcolithic period and city walls dating back to the Bronze Age. Perhaps they were the ones who fell to the loud trumpets of the Israelites, giving rise to the phrase “the trumpets of Jericho.” In the city you can find the ruins of the winter palace-residence of King Herod the Great with swimming pools, baths, and lavishly decorated halls. The mosaic on the floor of the synagogue, dating back to the 5th-6th centuries, has also been preserved here. And at the foot of the Tel al-Sultan hill is the source of the prophet Elisha. Historians believe that the neighboring hills of Jericho hide many archaeological treasures comparable to the Valley of the Kings in Egypt.
Byblos, Lebanon. The settlement in this place is about 7 thousand years old. The city of Gebal, mentioned in the Bible, was founded by the Phoenicians. He received his other name, Byblos (Byblos), from the Greeks. The fact is that the city supplied them with papyrus, which was called “byblos” in Greek. The city has been known since the 4th millennium BC. Byblos became famous for its temples of Baal; the cult of the god Adonis originated here. It was from here that it spread to Greece. The ancient Egyptians wrote that it was in this city that Isis found the body of Osiris in a wooden box. The main tourist attractions of the city are the ancient Phoenician temples, the temple of St. John the Baptist, built by the crusaders in the 12th century, the city castle and the remains of the city wall. Now here, 32 kilometers from Beirut, is the Arab city of Jebeil.
Aleppo, Syria. Archaeologists believe that people settled here in 4300 BC. Today this city is the most populous in Syria, with a population approaching 4 million. It was formerly known as Halpe or Khalibon. For many centuries, Aleppo was the third largest city in the Ottoman Empire, second only to Constantinople and Cairo. The origin of the city's name is not entirely clear. Presumably "haleb" means copper or iron. The fact is that in ancient times there was a large center for their production here. In Aramaic, "halaba" means "white", which refers to the color of the soil in the area and the abundance of marble rocks. And Aleppo received its current name from the Italians who visited here during the Crusades. Ancient Aleppo is evidenced by Hittite inscriptions, Mari inscriptions in the Euphrates, in central Anatolia and in the city of Ebla. These ancient texts speak of the city as an important military and commercial center. For the Hittites, Aleppo had special significance, as it was the center of worship of the weather god. Economically, the city has always been an important place. The Great Silk Road passed here. Aleppo has always been a tasty morsel for invaders - it belonged to the Greeks, Persians, Assyrians, Romans, Arabs, Turks and even the Mongols. It was here that the great Tamerlane ordered the erection of a tower of 20 thousand skulls. With the opening of the Suez Canal, Aleppo's role as a commercial center became smaller. Currently, this city is experiencing a renaissance, it is one of the most beautiful places in the Middle East.
Damascus, Syria. Many people think so. That Damascus is worthy of the title of the oldest city in the world. Although there is an opinion that people lived here 12 thousand years ago, another date of settlement seems more truthful - 4300 BC. The medieval Arab historian Ibn Asakir in XII argued that after the Flood, the first wall erected was the Damascus Wall. He attributed the very birth of the city to the 4th millennium BC. The first historical evidence about Damascus dates back to the 15th century BC. Then the city was under the rule of Egypt and its pharaohs. Later, Damascus was part of Assyria, the Neo-Babylonian kingdom, Persia, the empire of Alexander the Great, and after his death, part of the Hellenistic kingdom of the Seleucids. The city flourished during the Aramaic era. They created a whole network of water canals in the city, which today form the basis of modern water supply networks in Damascus. The urban agglomeration today numbers 2.5 million people. In 2008, Damascus was recognized as the cultural capital of the Arab world.
Susa, Iran. The settlement in this place is already 6200 years old. And the first traces of humans in Susa date back to 7000 BC. The city is located on the territory of modern Khuzestan province in Iran. Susa entered history as the capital ancient state Elam. The Sumerians wrote about the city in their early documents. Thus, the works “Enmerkar and the Ruler of Aratta” say that Susa was dedicated to the deity Inanna, the patroness of Uruk. There are repeated mentions of the ancient city in the Old Testament, its name appears especially often in the Scriptures. The prophets Daniel and Nehemiah lived here during the Babylonian captivity in the 6th century BC; Esther became queen in the city and saved her from persecution by the Jews. The Elamite state ceased to exist with the victories of Ashurbanipal, Susa itself was plundered, which was not the first time that happened. The son of Cyrus the Great made Susa the capital of the Persian kingdom. However, this state also ceased to exist, thanks to Alexander the Great. The city has lost its former significance. Susa was later destroyed by Muslims and Mongols, as a result of which life barely glimmered in it. Today the city is called Shusha, about 65 thousand people live in it.
Faiyum, Egypt. This city has a history of 6 thousand years. It is located southwest of Cairo, in the oasis of the same name, occupying part of Crocodilopolis. At this ancient site, the Egyptians worshiped the sacred Sobek, the crocodile god. The pharaohs of the 12th dynasty loved to visit Fayyum, then the city was called Shedit. This fact follows from the remains of burial pyramids and temples found by Flinders Petrie. In Fayoum there was the same famous Labyrinth that Herodotus described. In general, quite a lot of archaeological finds have been found in this area. But world fame went to the Fayum drawings. They were made using the enacoustic technique and were funerary portraits from the times of Roman Egypt. Currently, the population of the city of Al-Fayoum is more than 300 thousand people.
Sidon, Lebanon. People founded their first settlement here in 4000 BC. Sidon is located 25 kilometers south of Beirut on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. This city was one of the most significant and oldest Phoenician cities. It was he who was the heart of that empire. In the X-IX centuries BC. Sidon was the largest shopping center of that world. In the Bible he was called the “firstborn of Canaan,” the brother of an Amorite and a Hittite. It is believed that both Jesus and the Apostle Paul visited Sidon. And in 333 BC. the city was captured by Alexander the Great. Today the city is called Saida and is home to Shiite and Sunni Muslims. It is the third largest city in Lebanon with a population of 200 thousand people.
Plovdiv, Bulgaria. This city also arose 4 thousand years BC. Today it is the second largest in Bulgaria and one of the oldest in Europe. Even Athens, Rome, Carthage and Constantinople are younger than Plovdiv. The Roman historian Ammianus Marcellinus said that the first name for this settlement was given by the Thracians - Eumolpiada. In 342 BC. The city was conquered by Philip II of Macedon, the father of the legendary conqueror. The king named the settlement Philippopolis in honor of himself, but the Thracians pronounced this word as Pulpudeva. From the 6th century, the city began to be controlled by Slavic tribes. In 815 it became part of the First Bulgarian Kingdom under the name Pyldin. For the next few centuries, these lands passed from hand to hand from the Bulgarians to the Byzantines, until the Ottoman Turks captured it for a long time. Four times the crusaders came to Plovdiv and plundered the city. Currently the city is important cultural center. There are many ruins here that testify to its rich history. The Roman aqueduct and amphitheater, as well as the Ottoman baths, stand out here. About 370 thousand people now live in Plovdiv.
Gaziantep, Türkiye. This settlement appeared around 3650 BC. It is located in the south of Turkey, near the Syrian border. Gaziantep dates back to the times of the Hittites. Until February 1921, the city was called Antep, and the Turkish parliament gave the prefix gazi to the residents for their services during the battles for the country's independence. Today more than 800 thousand people live here. Gaziantep is among the most important ancient centers in southeastern Anatolia. This city lies between Mediterranean Sea and Mesopotamia. Here the roads between the south, north, west and east crossed, and the Great Silk Road passed through. To this day, in Gaziantep you can find historical relics from the times of the Assyrians, Hittites, and the era of Alexander the Great. With flourishing Ottoman Empire and the city experienced times of prosperity.
Beirut, Lebanon. People began to live in Beirut 3 thousand years before the birth of Christ. Today this city is the capital of Lebanon, the economic, cultural and administrative center of the country. And the Phoenicians founded Lebanon, choosing rocky land in the middle of the Mediterranean coast of the modern territory of Lebanon. It is believed that the name of the city comes from the word "birot", meaning "well". For a long time, Beirut remained in the background in the region, behind its more significant neighbors - Tire and Sidon. It was only during the Roman Empire that the city became influential. There was a famous school of law here, which developed the main postulates of the Justinian Code. Over time, this document will become the basis of the European legal system. In 635, Beirut was occupied by the Arabs, incorporating the city into the Arab Caliphate. In 1100 the city was captured by the Crusaders, and in 1516 by the Turks. Until 1918, Beirut was part of the Ottoman Empire. In the last century, the city with a proud history has become an important cultural, financial and intellectual center in the Eastern Mediterranean. And since 1941, Beirut became the capital of a new independent state - the Lebanese Republic.
Jerusalem, Israel/Palestinian Territories. This great city without a doubt was founded in 2800 BC. Jerusalem was able to become both the spiritual center of the Jewish people and the third holy city of Islam. In the city large number important religious sites, including the Western Wall, the Dome of the Rock, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher al-Aqsa. It is not surprising that there were constant attempts to conquer Jerusalem. As a result, the history of the city includes 23 sieges and 52 attacks. It was captured 44 times and destroyed 2 times. The ancient city lies on the watershed between the Dead Sea and the Mediterranean, in the spurs of the Judean Mountains at an altitude of 650-840 meters above sea level. The first settlements in this area date back to the 4th millennium BC. The Old Testament speaks of Jerusalem as the capital of the Jebusites. This population lived in Judea even before the Jews. It was they who founded the city, settling it initially. There is also a mention of Jerusalem on Egyptian figurines of the 20th-19th centuries BC. There, among the curses against hostile cities, Rushalimum was mentioned. In the 11th century BC. Jerusalem was occupied by the Jews, who proclaimed it the capital of the Kingdom of Israel, and from the 10th century BC. - Jewish. After 400 years, the city was captured by Babylon, then it was ruled by the Persian Empire. Jerusalem changed owners many times - these were the Romans, Arabs, Egyptians, and Crusaders. From 1517 to 1917, the city was part of the Ottoman Empire, after which it came under the jurisdiction of Great Britain. Now Jerusalem, with a population of 800 thousand people, is the capital of Israel.
Tire, Lebanon. This city was founded in 2750 BC. Tire was a famous Phoenician city and a major trading center. The date of its foundation was named by Herodotus himself. And there was a settlement on the territory of modern Lebanon. In 332 BC. Tire was taken by the troops of Alexander the Great, which required a seven-month siege. From 64 BC Tire became a Roman province. It is believed that the Apostle Paul lived here for some time. In the Middle Ages, Tire became known as one of the most impregnable fortresses in the Middle East. It was in this city that Frederick Barbarossa, King of Germany and Holy Roman Emperor, was buried in 1190. Now on the site of the great ancient settlement stands the small town of Sur. It no longer has much significance; trade began to be conducted through Beirut.
Erbil, Iraq. This settlement is already 4300 years old. It is located north of the Iraqi city of Kirkuk. Erbil is the capital of the Iraqi unrecognized state of Kurdistan. This city throughout its history belonged to different peoples - Assyrians, Persians, Sasanians, Arabs and Turks. Archaeological research has confirmed that people have lived in this area without interruption for more than 6 thousand years. This is most eloquently evidenced by the Citadel Hill. It represents the remains of former settlements. There was a wall around it, which was created in pre-Islamic times. When Erbil was under Persian rule, Greek sources called it Hawler or Arbela. The Royal Road passed through it, which went from the very center of the Persian center to the coast of the Aegean Sea. Erbil was also a transit point on the Great Silk Road. To this day, the ancient city citadel, 26 meters high, is visible from afar.
Kirkuk, Iraq. This city appeared in 2200 BC. It is located 250 kilometers north of Baghdad. Kirkuk is located on the site of the ancient Hurrian and Assyrian capital of Arrapha. The city had an important strategic position, so three empires fought for it at once - Babylon, Assyria and Media. It was they who shared control of Kirkuk for a long time. Even today there are still ruins here that are 4 thousand years old. The modern city, thanks to its proximity to the richest field, has become the oil capital of Iraq. About a million people live here today.
Balkh, Afghanistan. This ancient city appeared around the 15th century BC. Balkh became the first large settlement that the Indo-Aryans created during their transition from the Amu Darya. This city became a large and traditional center of Zoroastrianism; it is believed that it was here that Zarathustra was born. In late antiquity, Balkh became an important center of Hinayana. Historians said that in the 7th century there were more than a hundred Buddhist monasteries in the city, with 30 thousand monks living in them alone. The largest temple was Navbahar, its name translated from Sanskrit means “new monastery”. There was a huge Buddha statue there. In 645 the city was first captured by the Arabs. However, after the robbery they left Balkh. In 715, the Arabs returned here, having settled in the city for a long time. The further history of Balkh saw the arrival of the Mongols and Timur, however, even Marco Polo, describing the city, called it “great and worthy.” In the 16th-19th centuries, the Persians, the Bukhara Khanate and the Afghans fought for Balkh. The bloody wars ended only with the transfer of the city to the rule of the Afghan Emir in 1850. Today this place is considered the center of the cotton industry; leather is well tanned here, producing “Persian sheepskin.” And 77 thousand people live in the city.
The most ancient cities in the world - some of them disappeared from the face of the earth forever, leaving only ruins and memories. And there are settlements whose names have been laid out long haul in history and have survived to this day. Their streets are full of architectural sights, magnificent in their beauty and monumentality, looking at which you are mentally transported back to the depths of centuries.
Jericho is the oldest city on Earth
The Judean Hills dominate the West Bank. At their foot, at the mouth of the river flowing into the Dead Sea, is the ancient city in the world - Jericho. On its territory, archaeologists have discovered fragments of ancient buildings dating back to 9500 BC. e.
The history of this settlement was described in the Old Testament. It is also mentioned in Roman chronicles. There is a legend that Jericho was brought as a gift to Cleopatra by Mark Antony. But magnificent buildings in this city were built by King Herod, who received rule over this city from the Emperor of Rome, Augustus. It was during his era that many monuments of ancient architecture appeared, preserved in this city to this day.
There are also records that the Christian church appeared in Jericho in the first century AD. Constant raids by Bedouins and hostility between Muslims and knights led to the decline of the city by the 9th century. AD In the 19th century, the Turks destroyed the once prosperous center of the ancient world, Jericho.
It was only in 1920 that the oldest city in the world, Jericho, received its second life. Arabs began to populate it. Now it is permanently home to approximately 20,000 people.
The main attraction is the Tel es-Sultan hill, on which stands a tower dating back to the 6000th century. BC
Nowadays, military operations are constantly taking place in Jericho, a disputed land between Palestine and Israel. For this reason, the beauty of this place is hidden from tourists. At the very least, the governments of many countries do not recommend their citizens to visit it.
Famous surviving cities of antiquity
Over the course of many centuries, civilizations developed and cities appeared. Some of them were destroyed as a result of wars or natural disasters. Few of the most ancient cities in the world, which have survived multiple changes of eras, can still be visited today:
On earth, which are named as the most ancient cities in the world. Many of them are still being destroyed today, despite the establishment of special protection regimes by the international organization UNESCO.
Many ancient cities lay claim to the right to be called the first city on Earth. We will talk about the two oldest and most ancient cities, according to archaeologists and historians. These two cities are Jericho and Hamukar. These cities existed thousands of years ago.
Jericho
First of all, the definition of “ancient city” refers to Jericho, an oasis near the place where the Jordan River flows into the Dead Sea. The city of Jericho, widely known in the Bible, is located here - the same one whose walls once fell from the sound of the trumpets of Joshua.
According to biblical tradition, the Israelites began the conquest of Canaan from Jericho and, after the death of Moses, under the leadership of Joshua, crossing the Jordan, they stood at the walls of this city. The townspeople, hiding behind the city walls, were convinced that the city was impregnable. But the Israelis used an extraordinary military stratagem. They walked around the city walls in a silent crowd six times, and on the seventh they shouted in unison and blew the trumpets, so loudly that the formidable walls collapsed. This is where the expression comes from "Trumpet of Jericho".
Jericho feeds on water powerful source Ain es-Sultan ( "The Sultan's Source"), to which the city owes its existence. The Arabs call the name of this source a hill north of modern Jericho - Tell es-Sultan ( "Sultan's Mountain"). Already at the end XIX century it attracted the attention of archaeologists and is still considered one of the most important sites for archaeological finds of objects from the early historical period.
In 1907 and 1908, a group of German and Austrian researchers, led by Professors Ernst Sellin and Karl Watzinger, first began excavations at Mount Sultana. They came across two parallel fortress walls, built from sun-dried bricks. The outer wall had a thickness of 2 m and a height of 8-10 m, and the thickness of the inner wall reached 3.5 m.
Archaeologists have determined that these walls were built between 1400 and 1200 BC. It is clear that they were quickly identified with those walls that, as the Bible reports, collapsed from the powerful sounds of the trumpets of the Israelite tribes. However, during the excavations, archaeologists came across the remains of construction debris, which were of even greater interest to science than the finds that confirmed the Bible’s information about the war. But the First World War suspended further scientific research.
More than twenty years passed before a group of Englishmen, led by Professor John Garstang, was able to continue their research. New excavations began in 1929 and lasted about ten years.
In 1935-1936 Garstang encountered the lowest layers of Stone Age settlements.
He discovered a cultural layer older than the 5th millennium BC, dating back to a time when people did not yet know pottery. But people of this era already led a sedentary lifestyle.
The work of Garstang's expedition was interrupted due to the difficult political situation. And only after the end of World War II did English archaeologists return to Jericho. This time the expedition was led by Dr. Kathleen M. Canyon, with whose activities all further discoveries in this ancient city in the world are associated. To participate in the excavations, the British invited German anthropologists who had been working in Jericho for several years.
In 1953, archaeologists led by Kathleen Canyon managed to make an outstanding discovery that completely changed our understanding of early history humanity. Researchers made their way through 40 (!) cultural layers and discovered buildings of the Neolithic period with huge buildings dating back to the time when, it would seem, only nomadic tribes should have lived on Earth, earning their food by hunting and collecting plants and fruits. The results of excavations showed that approximately 10 thousand years ago a qualitative leap was made in the eastern Mediterranean associated with the transition to the artificial cultivation of cereals. This led to drastic changes in culture and lifestyle.
The discovery of early agricultural Jericho was an archeological sensation in the 1950s. Systematic excavations here revealed a whole series of successive layers, united into two complexes: Pre-ceramic Neolithic A (8th millennium BC) and Pre-ceramic Neolithic B (7th millennium BC).
Today, Jericho A is considered the first urban settlement discovered in the Old World. Here are found the earliest permanent structures known to science, burials and sanctuaries, built from earth or small round unbaked bricks.
The pre-ceramic Neolithic settlement A occupied an area of about 4 hectares and was surrounded by a powerful defensive wall made of stone. Adjacent to it was a massive round stone tower. Initially, researchers assumed that this was a tower of a fortress wall. But obviously, it was a special-purpose structure that combined many functions, including the function of a guard post for monitoring the surrounding area.
Protected by a stone wall, there were round, tent-like houses on stone foundations with walls made of mud brick, one surface of which was convex (this type of brick is called "pork's back"). To more accurately determine the age of these structures, the latest scientific methods were used, such as the radiocarbon (radiocarbon) method.
Nuclear physicists, when studying isotopes, found that it is possible to determine the age of objects by the ratio of radioactive and stable carbon isotopes. Through sounding, it was found that the oldest walls of this city date back to the 8th millennium, that is, their age is approximately 10 thousand years. The sanctuary discovered as a result of excavations was even more ancient - 9551 BC.
There is no doubt that Jericho A, with its settled population and developed construction industry, was one of the first early agricultural settlements on Earth. Based on the many years of research carried out here, historians received a completely new picture of the development and technical capabilities that humanity had 10 thousand years ago.
The transformation of Jericho from a small primitive settlement with miserable huts and huts into a real city with an area of at least 3 hectares and a population of more than 2000 people is associated with the transition of the local population from simple gathering of edible cereals to agriculture - growing wheat and barley. At the same time, researchers have established that this revolutionary step was taken not as a result of some kind of introduction from the outside, but was the result of the development of the tribes living here: archaeological excavations of Jericho showed that in the period between the culture of the original settlement and the culture of the new city, which was built at the turn 9th and 8th millennia BC, life here did not stop.
At first, the town was not fortified, but with the advent of strong neighbors, fortress walls became necessary to protect against attacks. The appearance of fortifications speaks not only of the confrontation between different tribes, but also of the accumulation by the inhabitants of Jericho of certain material values that attracted the greedy gaze of their neighbors. What were these values? Archaeologists have answered this question as well. Probably the main source of income for the townspeople was barter trade: the well-located city controlled the main resources of the Dead Sea - salt, bitumen and sulfur. Obsidian, jade and diorite from Anatolia, turquoise from the Sinai Peninsula, cowrie shells from the Red Sea were found in Jericho - all these goods were highly valued during the Neolithic period.
The fact that Jericho was a powerful urban center is evidenced by its defensive fortifications. Without the use of picks and hoes, a ditch 8.5 m wide and 2.1 m deep was cut into the rock. Behind the ditch rose a stone wall 1.64 m thick, preserved at a height of 3.94 m. Its original height probably reached 5 m , and above there was a masonry of mud bricks.
The excavations revealed a large round stone tower with a diameter of 7 m, preserved to a height of 8.15 m, with an internal staircase carefully constructed from single meter-wide stone slabs. The tower contained grain storage and clay-lined cisterns to collect rainwater.
The stone tower of Jericho was probably built at the beginning of the 8th millennium BC. and lasted for a very long time. When it ceased to be used for its intended purpose, crypts for burials began to be built in its internal passage, and the former storage facilities were used as dwellings. These rooms were often rebuilt. One of them, destroyed in a fire, dates back to 6935 BC
After this, archaeologists counted four more periods of existence in the history of the tower, and then the city wall collapsed and began to erode. Apparently, the city was already deserted at this time.
The construction of a powerful defensive system required an enormous amount of labor, the use of a significant workforce and the presence of some kind of central authority to organize and direct the work. Researchers estimate the population of this first city in the world to be two thousand people, and this figure may be underestimated.
What did these first citizens of the Earth look like and how did they live?
An analysis of the skulls and bone remains found in Jericho showed that 10 thousand years ago, short people - just over 150 cm - with elongated skulls (dolichocephalians), who belonged to the so-called Euro-African race, lived here. They built oval-shaped dwellings from lumps of clay, the floors of which were recessed below ground level. The house was entered through a doorway with wooden jambs. There were several steps leading down. Most houses consisted of a single round or oval room with a diameter of 4-5 m, covered with a vault of intertwined rods. The ceiling, walls and floor were covered with clay. The floors in the houses were carefully leveled, sometimes painted and polished.
The inhabitants of ancient Jericho used stone and bone tools, did not know ceramics and ate wheat and barley, the grains of which were ground on stone grain grinders with stone pestles. From eating too much food, which consisted of cereals and legumes ground in stone mortars, these people's teeth completely wore out.
Despite a more comfortable habitat than that of primitive hunters, their life was extremely difficult, and middle age the inhabitants of Jericho did not exceed 20 years. Infant mortality was very high, and only a few lived to be 40-45 years old. There were obviously no people older than this age in ancient Jericho.
The townspeople buried their dead right under the floors of their homes, wearing iconic plaster masks with cowrie shells inserted into the eyes of the masks on their skulls.
It is curious that in the oldest graves of Jericho (6500 BC), archaeologists mostly find headless skeletons. Apparently, the skulls were separated from the corpses and buried separately. The cultic beheading is known in many parts of the world and has been practiced down to our time. Here, in Jericho, scientists apparently encountered one of the earliest manifestations of this cult.
During this “pre-ceramic” period, the inhabitants of Jericho did not use earthenware - they replaced it with stone vessels, carved mainly from limestone. Probably, the townspeople also used all kinds of wickerwork and leather containers like wineskins.
Not knowing how to sculpt pottery, ancient inhabitants At the same time, animal figurines and other images were sculpted from clay of Jericho. In residential buildings and tombs of Jericho, many clay figurines of animals were found, as well as stucco images of the phallus. The cult of masculinity was widespread in ancient Palestine, and its images are found in other places.
In one of the layers of Jericho, archaeologists discovered a kind of ceremonial hall with six wooden pillars. It was probably a sanctuary - a primitive predecessor of the future temple. Inside this room and in its immediate vicinity, archaeologists did not find any household items, but they found numerous clay figurines of animals - horses, cows, sheep, goats, pigs and models of male genital organs.
The most amazing discovery in Jericho was the stucco figurines of people. They are made from local limestone clay called "hawara" with a reed frame. These figurines are of normal proportions, but flat in front. Nowhere, except for Jericho, have such figurines been encountered by archaeologists before.
Life-size group sculptures of men, women and children were also found in one of the prehistoric layers of Jericho. They were made using cement-like clay, which was spread on a reed frame. These figures were still very primitive and flat: after all, plastic art was preceded for many centuries rock paintings or images on cave walls. The found figures show how much interest the inhabitants of Jericho showed in the miracle of the origin of life and the creation of a family - this was one of the first and most powerful impressions of prehistoric man.
the emergence of Jericho - the first urban center - indicates the emergence tall shapes public organization Even the invasion of more backward tribes from the north in the 5th millennium BC. could not interrupt this process, which ultimately led to the creation of highly developed ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia and the Middle East.
Hamukar
The ruins of a city that scientists believe is at least 6,000 years old have been discovered in Syria. The discovery actually changed traditional ideas about the appearance of cities and civilization on Earth in general. It forces us to consider the spread of civilization in a new light, starting from an earlier time. Before this discovery, cities dating back to 4000 BC were discovered only in ancient Sumer - between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in the territory of modern Iraq, while the last, most ancient, was found in the southeastern part of Syria under a huge hill near the village of Hamukar . Mysterious city also called Hamukar.
For the first time, archaeologists began to actively dig the ground here back in the 1920s -1930s. Then they assumed that it was here that Vashshukani was located - the capital of the Mitanni Empire (approximately the 15th century BC), which had not yet been discovered. But no signs of settlement of this area were found then - “ Vashshukan theory" turned out to be untenable.
Many years passed, and scientists again became interested in this place. And not in vain: after all, it is located on one of the most important transport arteries of antiquity - the road from Nineveh to Aleppo, along which travelers and caravans of merchants stretched. This situation, according to scientists, provided a lot of advantages and created excellent preconditions for the development of the city.
Researchers actually discovered signs indicating its existence back in the middle of the 4th millennium BC.
Then the first cities arose one after another in Southern Iraq, and their colonies were formed in Syria.
This time, archaeologists were determined - in the most literal sense - to get to the bottom of the truth. A special Syrian-American expedition was formed to explore Hamukar, the director of which was the leader researcher Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago McGuire Gibson. The first shovel hit the ground in November 1999. The expedition needed to get used to it, settle in, prepare the excavation area, hire local residents for heavy work...
It all started with drawing up a detailed map of the area. And only then, with her help, archaeologists began the next, no less painstaking stage of work: it was necessary to carefully - almost with a magnifying glass in hand - examine the entire excavation area, collecting various shards. Such studies would provide a fairly accurate idea of the size and shape of the settlement. And luck really smiled on archaeologists - ancient cities hidden in the ground “fell out” as if from a cornucopia.
The first settlement found dates back to approximately 3209. BC and occupied an area of about 13 hectares. Gradually it grew, its territory increased to 102 hectares, and subsequently the settlement became one of largest cities of that time. Then, based on the items found, other, most interesting places for excavations. In the eastern part of the settlement, archaeologists discovered a building in which pots were fired. And the main result of the inspection of the area was the discovery of a large settlement south of the hill. Its more detailed study confirmed that this territory began to be settled at the beginning of the 4th millennium BC. If all the discovered settlements are recognized as one city, then its area will be more than 250, which is hard to believe. At that time, in the era of the birth of the first urban settlements, such a large city was a real metropolis of antiquity.
Satellites have helped scientists well. The photographs taken from them gave the researchers another idea when, 100 m from the hill, on its northern and eastern sides, they discerned a dark, twisting line, similar to a city wall, while only a small slope was visible on the ground. Further examination showed that the wall could have been located closer to the hill, and the slope was preserved from a ditch that supplied the city with water.
Excavations were carried out in three zones. The first is a trench 60 m long and 3 m wide, running along the northern slope of the hill. Its gradual digging made it possible for archaeologists to examine the development of the settlement in different eras, since each step was 4-5 m lower than the next. So: the lowest layer that scientists reached showed a city 6000 years ago!
On the next level, walls of several houses made of clay bars were discovered, as well as a huge, possibly city wall, 4 meters high and 4 meters thick. The remains of pottery underneath date back to the middle of the 4th millennium BC. Next comes a level dating back to 3200 BC. Ceramics from here refer to the creativity of the peoples of Southern Iraq, which indicates the interaction of the Syrian and Mesopotamian peoples at that time.
These houses are followed by “younger” buildings, built in the 3rd millennium BC. There are already baked brick houses and wells here. Directly above one of the houses there is a later building - from the mid-1st millennium - and then there is a modern cemetery.
Another excavation area was replete with shards. They divided it into sections of five square meters and carefully “shoveled” all the soil. Archaeologists have discovered houses here with perfectly preserved clay walls. And inside there were a huge amount of things for a long time days gone by- all covered with a thick layer of ash. This created great difficulties for scientists: try to find burnt fragments in the cracks of the floors, in various irregularities and holes.
Soon the sources of such abundant ash were found - in one room the remains of four or five slabs made of clay bars, which were partially burned when the stoves were heated, were excavated. Around the slabs there were remains of barley, wheat, oats, and animal bones. Therefore, power stoves are used for baking bread, brewing beer, cooking meat and other products.
The ceramics discovered here amazed scientists with their diversity: large pots for preparing ordinary food, small vessels, as well as small elegant vessels, the walls of which are equal to the thickness of an ostrich egg shell. Figurines with large eyes were also found in the houses, possibly some deities from the middle of the 4th millennium BC.
But still, 15 seals in the form of carefully drawn animals tell the most complete story about the society of that era. All of them were found in one hole, presumably a grave. Also found here were a huge number of beads made of bone, earthenware, stone and shells, some of them were so small in size that it can be assumed that they were not used as necklaces, but were woven or sewn into clothing.
The seals are carved from stone in the shape of animals. One of the largest and most beautiful seals is made in the form of a leopard, the spots on which are made using small pins inserted into drilled holes. A seal was also found, not inferior to a leopard print in beauty - in the form of a horned animal, which, unfortunately, the horns broke off. Large seals are much more varied, but there are far fewer of them than small ones, the main types of which are lion, goat, bear, dog, hare, fish and birds. The larger, more elaborate seals must have belonged to people of great power or wealth, while the smaller ones may have been used by others to denote private property.
In a small pit two meters deep in the north-eastern part of the excavation, just below the surface, the researchers discovered a wall dating back to the 7th century. AD, and a meter lower - the corner of the building, strengthened by a support with two niches. The support was installed next to the door that leads to the east. The door jamb, buttress, niches and south wall are covered with lime. Typically, such supports with niches were installed not near private, but near temple buildings. Shards of pottery found near the temple point to the beginning of the 3rd millennium BC, that is, the Akkadian period, when the rulers of Akkad, a state in southern Mesopotamia, began expanding into what is now Syria. Since this is a critical period in the history of Mesopotamia, the place where so many eras are intertwined becomes the main focus of the expedition's forces in the next season.
Previously, historians assumed that the Syrian and Turkish states began to actively develop only after contact with representatives of Uruk, an ancient state in Southern Iraq. But the excavations of Hamukar prove that highly developed societies appeared not only in the Tigris-Euphrates valley, but also in other areas at the same time. Some researchers even believe that civilization originally began in Syria. The discovery actually changed traditional ideas about the emergence of cities and civilization in general, forcing us to consider its birth and spread at an earlier time.
While it was previously believed that civilization began in the Uruk period (ca. 4000 BC), there is now evidence of its existence as far back as the Ubaid period (ca. 4500 BC). This means that the development of the first states began before the advent of writing and other phenomena considered criteria for the emergence of civilization. Between different peoples Vital connections began to form, people exchanged experiences. Civilization began to march across the planet with leaps and bounds!
The excavations of Hamukara promise many more discoveries, because this is the only place where the layers of 4000 BC. lie two meters from the surface and even higher.
Based on materials from 100velikih.com and bibliotekar.ru
Cities with thousand years of history can surprise you with much more than just beautiful architecture and unique artifacts. They bear the imprints of previous eras and civilizations and are a reflection of both positive and negative events of humanity. These cities are full of amazing stories and legends and are the biggest draws for seasoned explorers. Let's look at cities that are almost as old as the hills on which they were built.
10. Damascus, Syria
Syria's capital, Damascus, is also the country's second largest city, with a population of approximately 2.5 million. The city's history dates back to 10,000 - 8,000 BC, although the exact time is still debated. Damascus is recognized as one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The city, located between Africa and Asia, has an advantageous geographical location at the crossroads of East and West.
Since time immemorial, Damascus has been a significant cultural, commercial and administrative center. It was a gathering place for local and foreign traders and artisans. The city was shaped by several civilizations that created it: Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine and Islamic. The old fortified city amazes with its ancient architecture, narrow streets, green courtyards and white houses. However, the centuries-old architecture is a bit of a contrast to the flow of tourists who come from all over the world to see this breathtaking site.
9. Athens, Greece
The cradle of Western civilization, Athens is the capital of Greece with a population of approximately three million people. It has been inhabited for over 7,000 years. Appearance The city is marked by Ottoman, Byzantine and Roman civilizations. It is the birthplace of outstanding philosophers, writers, playwrights, artists and the classical style to which they gave rise.
Modern Athens is a cosmopolitan city. It is the cultural, media, educational, political and industrial center of Greece. The historical center of the city is located at the Acropolis ("high city"), on a huge hill with the remains of ancient buildings and the Parthenon. Since Athens is considered a huge archaeological research center, the city is full of historical museums, including the National Archaeological Museum, the Byzantine and Christian Museum, and New Museum Acropolis (New Acropolis Museum).
When visiting Athens, you should not miss the opportunity to visit the Port of Piraeus, which has been the most important port in the Mediterranean for centuries due to its geostrategic location.
8. Byblos, Lebanon
Byblos is another cradle of many ancient civilizations. It is one of the oldest cities in Phenicia and has been continuously inhabited for 5,000 years, although the first signs of settlement date back early periods. The Bible is directly related to the development of the Phoenician alphabet, which is still in use today. Interestingly, the English word Bible is derived from the name of the city, since Byblos was an important port through which papyrus was imported.
Byblos is now a popular tourist destination due to the number of wonders it contains, including ancient citadels and temples with scenic views of the Mediterranean Sea, ancient ruins and port. Over the years it has become a modern city, but the imprint of antiquity is visible naked eye. It has an impressive combination of tradition and sophistication and still lives on through its ancient heart.
7. Jerusalem, Israel
Jerusalem is one of the most visited cities in the Middle East, as well as the most important religious destination in the world. As you know, Jerusalem is considered a holy place for Jews, Christians and Muslims. According to the Bible, Jerusalem was founded by David as the capital of the United Kingdom of Israel. Currently, Jerusalem has 800,000 inhabitants, 60 percent of whom are of the Jewish faith.
Over the years, Jerusalem has experienced many tragic events, including numerous attacks, sieges and destruction. The Old City was founded four thousand years ago. It is divided into four quadrants, which are known today as the Christian Quarter, the Muslim Quarter, the Armenian Quarter and the Jewish Quarter.
In 1981, the Old Town was included in the list of objects World Heritage are under threat. Modernization spread far beyond the ancient center. Jerusalem holds incredible symbolic meaning for Jewish people around the world, as it symbolizes their desire to return home.
6. Varanasi, India
India is the world famous home of ancient civilizations, religions and spirituality. The holy city of India, Varanasi, is located on the banks of the Ganges River, which Hindus believe was founded by Shiva. The history of the city dates back to the 12th century BC.
Varanasi, also known as Benares, was a destination for pilgrims and wanderers. Mark Twain once said the following about this city: “Benares is older than history, older than tradition and even older than the legend. He looks twice the age of all of them combined.” Varanasi is an outstanding cultural and religious center with many famous poets, writers and musicians living in the city.
Varanasi had great industrial potential due to its high quality textiles, perfumes, sculptures and ivory trade. It is currently a center for arts and crafts. Almost anything you could imagine can be found here, including silk brocade, carpet weaving, toys, glass and ivory work, perfume, and various accessories and jewelry. For some people, Varanasi is a true paradise.
5. Cholula, Mexico
More than 2,500 years ago, the city of Cholula developed from numerous scattered villages. It was home to various Latin American cultures such as the Olmecs, Toltecs and Aztecs. The city's name means "place of flight" in Nahuatl and was formerly known as Acholollan. When the city was captured by the Spanish, it began to prosper. Cortés once called Cholula "the most beautiful city outside Spain."
Currently it is a small colonial city with a population of 60,000 people. The city's most notable landmark is the Great Pyramid of Cholula, with its sanctuary at the top. It is considered the largest monument ever built by people. It consists of many tunnels and caves, however only a small part of these tunnels have been converted into passages and open to the public.
4. Jericho, Palestine
Currently, Jericho is a small city with a population of about 20,000 people. In the Hebrew Bible it is called the City of Palm Trees. Archaeological excavations have shown evidence of human settlement in this city almost 11,000 years ago, with at least 20 settlements.
Jericho is located in the center of Palestine, making it an ideal location for routes and trade. Additionally, Jericho's natural beauty and resources led to numerous invasions of ancient Palestine. In the first century the city was destroyed by the Romans, rebuilt by the Byzantines and destroyed again before being abandoned for centuries. In the 20th century, the area of Jericho was occupied by Jordan and Israel before becoming part of Palestine in 1994. The most famous sights of Jericho are Tell es-Sultan, Hisham Palace, and the mosaic floor of the Peace to Israel synagogue.
3. Aleppo, Syria
The city of Aleppo is the largest in Syria, home to more than two million people. Aleppo has an incredibly advantageous geographical location, being in the center of the Great Silk Road, which connected Asia and the Mediterranean. The city remained inhabited for over 8,000 years, but archaeological excavations have uncovered evidence of human habitation in the area dating back almost 13,000 years. Throughout different eras Aleppo was under the control of the Romans, Byzantines, Ottomans and ended up being a mixed bag architectural styles.
The old town is filled with hotels, schools, hammams, and churches from the 13th and 14th centuries. Aleppo also has narrow streets and large estates, although the modern part has wide roads and large squares. What's interesting is that Aleppo is made up of cell-like segments that are socially and economically independent. Over the years, the city was subject to invasions and instability, so the inhabitants were forced to fortify the city. Aleppo is often called the “soul of Syria”.
2. Plovdiv, Bulgaria
The history of Plovdiv dates back to 4000 BC, we learned about this thanks to Neolithic excavations. Over the centuries, Plovdiv has been ruled by many empires, although it was originally a Thracian city. It was later conquered by the Romans. In the Middle Ages, Plovdiv was an attractive territory for the Bulgarian, Byzantine and Ottoman empires. In 1885 the city became part of Bulgaria and is now the second largest city in the country, as well as a significant economic, educational and cultural center.
The old town is definitely worth a visit. It turned out to be crowded with restaurants, workshops and museums that were previously famous houses. Archaeological sites, museums, churches and temples are also must-see places in Plovdiv.
1. Luoyang, China 
While most old cities are located in the Mediterranean, Luoyang stands as the oldest continuously inhabited city in Asia. It is included in the list of the Seven Great Ancient Capitals of China and is also considered the geographical center of China and the cradle of Chinese culture and history. No other city in China has seen as many dynasties and emperors as Luoyang, which has been inhabited for over 4,000 years and now boasts a population of nearly 7 million.
With its long and fascinating history, Luoyang has become a spectacular tourist destination. The Longmen Grottoes complex and numerous historical Buddhist temples are the city's real attractions. In addition, there is also famous Temple White Horse (Baymasy) - the first temple erected in China.
The oldest cities in the world still exist today. These settlements have passed what is called the test of time.
History can be surprisingly unpredictable, but some of its monuments have been unshakable for several thousand years. Here is a list of the most ancient cities in the world that did not fall into decay and were not lost over the years, but were constantly inhabited by people. Find out which cities of the East, Europe and Asia are not only considered the oldest, but are still inhabited! You might also be interested in which civilization is considered the most ancient.
The most ancient cities of East Asia
Although Chinese civilization is rightfully considered one of the most ancient, the age of its oldest surviving cities is significantly inferior to the age of the first fortified settlements of the Near and Middle East. But even these numbers cause awe in a person who comes face to face with the legacy of time.Beijing
Country: ChinaYear founded: 1045 BC
Ancient name the current capital of China is Ji. The city, founded in 1045 BC, was the capital of the feudal principality of Yan for almost two thousand years, until in 938 AD. the Liao dynasty did not make it the second capital of Northern China. Beijing (also called Beijing and, subsequently, Beiping) was the most important state center in the Jin, Yuan, Ming and Qing eras, and retained this status after the formation of New China. By the way, it was in the vicinity of Beijing that the remains of Sinanthropus, the so-called “Beijing man,” whose age dates back to approximately 600 thousand years, were found.
Sian
Country: ChinaYear founded: 1100 BC
For 3,100 years, Xi'an (ancient names - Haojin, Chan-An), the most ancient city in China currently inhabited, was the capital of ten major dynasties. The major cultural and political center was also famous for its production of bronze objects; some products have survived to this day and are now exhibited in local museums. The Tang Dynasty died out in 907, after which the city slowly declined. Subsequently, he played an important role in the development of state trade, but never returned to its former greatness.
The most ancient cities of the Middle East
The ancient Near East, namely the area between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, is considered the cradle of human civilization. Mesopotamia is the largest ancient civilization, which, despite its greatness, could not withstand the onslaught of centuries. But, for example, neighboring Egypt still delights tourists with its ancient capital.Balkh
Country: AfghanistanYear founded: 1500 BC
This city, located in modern Afghanistan, is often called the cradle of three religions: Zoroastrianism, Judaism and Buddhism. Balkh is considered to be the birthplace of Zarathustra, the founder of Zoroastrianism - the most ancient religion in the world known to man.
Luxor
Country: EgyptYear founded: 3200 BC
Approximately XXII-XX centuries BC. Luxor was the capital of Waset (the fourth nome of Ancient Egypt), then became the main city of the entire kingdom of Egypt and remained so until the 10th century BC. It is also known to historians under the Greek name Thebes.
El Fayoum
Country: EgyptYear founded: 3200 BC
Another ancient Egyptian city appeared on the world map in the 4th millennium BC. Faiyum is located southwest of Cairo, on the territory of ancient Crocodilopolis. This unusual name settlement in honor of the cult of the sacred crocodile Petsuhos, who was worshiped local residents. Now the city is quite modern, here you can visit large bazaars, mosques, baths, as well as the pyramids of Hawara and Lekhin.
The most ancient cities in Europe
Athens
Country: GreeceYear founded: 1400 BC
Exact date The founding of Athens is unknown. Written sources indicate that states Ancient world knew about the existence of a settlement on the site of modern Athens already in 9600 BC. However, the city itself, which is rightly called the cradle of Greek culture, arose only in the middle of the 2nd millennium BC.
Agros
Country: GreeceYear founded: 2000 BC
The founding date of the city of Agros (Peloponnese) is conventionally considered to be 2000 BC. – the first evidence of its existence found by archaeologists dates back to this period. Perhaps his story goes back much deeper. According to the ancient Greek epic, Agros was adjacent to Mycenae and Tiryns, now in ruins.
Mantua
Country: ItalyYear founded: 2000 BC
Mantua is a small city in the Lombardy region, founded by the Etruscans and Gauls. For most of its history, Mantua was located on an island on the Mincio River. Subsequently, already in the Middle Ages, residents blocked the channel and turned the island into a peninsula. As a result, the city was surrounded by lakes on three sides. By the way, the ancient Roman poet Virgil was born in the vicinity of Mantua.
Plovdiv
Country: BulgariaYear founded: 6000 BC
The most ancient city in Europe is located in a picturesque place in southern Bulgaria, on the coast of the Maritsa River. Like Rome, it was built on seven hills - three of which can still be clearly distinguished today. Plovdiv was originally a small village called Tratian, which later became a major center of the Roman Empire. Before becoming part of Bulgaria, Plovdiv was also under the rule of Byzantium and the Ottoman Empire. Modern Plovdiv is a thriving city with a rich cultural and social life.
The most ancient cities of the Middle East
Bible
Country: LebanonYear founded: 5000 BC
Once upon a time, on the site of modern Jebeil stood the ancient city of Byblos - the heart of all Mediterranean navigation, the largest exporter of papyrus to Hellas. In the sixth millennium BC, these places were chosen by nomadic tribes who made a living by fishing. After a couple of thousand years, the settlement, nicknamed by the inhabitants of Gubla, was overgrown with stone walls, and its inhabitants continued the traditions of their ancestors and turned the city into a prosperous harbor. In the 3rd millennium BC. Gubla passed into the possession of the Phoenicians - the sea people were attracted by its convenient location and developed water infrastructure. In the second millennium BC, the city acquired its own written language, which significantly increased its prosperity, which was entirely dependent on trade. And a little later he became the main exporter of papyrus to Greece. Papyrus in ancient Greek was known precisely as “byblos,” and the city, accordingly, began to be called the same.
Jericho
Country: PalestineYear founded: 6800 BC
Jericho (meaning a settlement with fortified walls) is considered the most ancient city in the world. Although the first human settlements arose here, on the west bank of the Jordan, back in the 8th millennium BC. The powerful walls of the Tower of Jericho still remind us of those times. According to biblical legend, the walls of this city fell in time immemorial from the sounds of Joshua's trumpet. During excavations, which began in earnest in the middle of the 20th century, archaeologists discovered as many as forty so-called “cultural layers” under these lands!
You can also find out about the most ancient city in Russia, its history and location on our website.
Subscribe to our channel in Yandex.Zen