Cities founded BC. The most ancient city in the world

The list of the oldest cities in the world includes settlements in which people have constantly lived from ancient times to the present day. It is quite difficult to determine which of them appeared earlier, since in scientific circles it is customary to distinguish between the concepts of “urban-type settlement” and “city”.

For example, Byblos was inhabited already in the 17th century. BC e., but received city status only in the 3rd century. BC e. For this reason, there is no single point of view on the question of whether it can be considered the oldest in the world. Jericho and Damascus are in the same ambiguous position.

In addition to the top three, there are other ancient cities in the world. They are located in all corners of the world.

The most ancient cities of East Asia

The most ancient cities East Asia, Beijing and Xi'an, are located in China. This country rightfully belongs to the most ancient civilizations in the world. There are practically no dark spots in its history, since it is recorded in written sources, so it is relatively easy to establish the dates of the founding of settlements.

Beijing

Beijing is the capital and largest political, educational, cultural center of China people's republic. Its original name is literally translated into Russian as “Northern Capital”. This phrase corresponds to both the status of the city and its location today.

The first cities in the area of ​​modern Beijing appeared in the 1st century. BC e. At first, the capital of the Yan kingdom was located there - Ji (473-221 BC), then the Liao empire established its southern capital- Nanjing (938). In 1125, the city came under the control of the Jurren Jin Empire and was named Zhongdu.

In the 13th century, after the Mongols burned the settlement and it was rebuilt, the city received two names at once: “Dadu” and “Khanbalik”. The first is in Chinese, the second is in Mongolian. It is the second option that is reflected in the notes of Marco Polo left after his trip to China.

Beijing received its modern name only in 1421. Historians believe that in the period from the 4th to the beginning of the 19th century. he was one of largest cities in the world. During this time, it was repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt, deprived of its status as a capital, and then returned. Empires also changed, under whose control the old settlement fell, but people continued to live there.

Currently, Beijing's population is almost 22 million people. 95% of them are indigenous Chinese, the remaining 5% are Mongols, Zhuers, and Huis. This number includes only people who have a residence permit in the city, but there are also those who came to work. The official language here is Chinese.

The city is considered a cultural and educational center. There are many architectural monuments, museums, parks and gardens. There are more than 50 higher educational institutions where Russian citizens receive education. Fans of nightlife will also not be bored - in the capital of the People's Republic of China there are several areas with popular night bars.

The main attractions of Beijing:

Interesting facts about the capital of the People's Republic of China:

• The government spent $44 billion on preparations for the 2008 Olympic Games. This is by far the world's largest expenditure on a sporting event.
• There are 980 buildings on the territory of the Forbidden City, according to researchers, all of them are divided into 9999 rooms.
• The Beijing metro is considered the 2nd longest in the world.

The northern capital of the PRC does not claim to be the most ancient city in the world, but the history of its formation is still of interest to scientists.

Xi'an

Xi'an is a city in the People's Republic of China, located in Shaanxi Province. It is more than 3 thousand years old. For some time it was considered one of the largest in the world in terms of area and number of inhabitants.

In the II century. BC e. The Great Silk Road ran through the city. At that time it was called “Chang’an”, which translates as “long peace”.

Like Beijing, the city was destroyed several times in war time, and then they rebuilt it again. The name has also changed several times. Modern version established in 1370

According to 2006 data, more than 7 million people live in Xi'an. By government decree in 1990, the city was transformed into a cultural, educational and industrial center. The largest aircraft manufacturing center is located here.

Sights of Xi'an:

Interesting facts about the administrative center of Shaanxi Province:

• Xi'an remained the capital of China during the reign of 13 consecutive imperial dynasties. This is the longest period.
• There is a city wall here, which is more than 3 thousand years old. For such a period it was quite well preserved.
• During the reign of the Tang Dynasty (VII-IX centuries) the city was the most populated in the world.

Xi'an has long ceased to be the actual capital of the PRC, but thanks to its rich history dating back several centuries, it continues to be the main cultural center.

The most ancient cities of the Middle East

There are three ancient cities in the Middle East: Balkh, Luxor and El-Fayoum. The researchers came to the conclusion that all of them were founded no earlier than the 1st century. BC e. They are of interest from both a historical and cultural point of view.

Balkh

Balkh is a city located in the province of the same name in Pakistan. It is believed that it was founded in 1500 BC. e. during the resettlement of Indo-Iranians from the Amu Darya region.

During the heyday of the Silk Road, its population reached 1 million; now this figure has decreased significantly. According to 2006 data, only 77 thousand people live in the city.

Before the beginning of the Hellenistic era, the city was considered the largest spiritual center. According to legend, it was there that Zarathustra, the founder of Zoroastrianism, one of the oldest religious teachings in the world, was born.

In 1933, Balkh became one of the 3 Afghan cities in which Jews were allowed to live. It was prohibited to leave the village unless absolutely necessary. A kind of Jewish ghetto formed here because representatives of this people preferred to settle separately from the rest. As of 2000, the Jewish community in the city had collapsed.

Attractions:

• Tomb of Khoja Parsa;
• Madrasah of Said Subkhankulikhan;
• Robiai Balkhi's grave;
• Masjidi Nuh Gumbad.

Interesting facts about the city:

• In 1220 Balkh was destroyed by Genghis Khan and lay in ruins for almost a century and a half.
• The first Jewish community in the city was founded in 568 BC. e., there, as legend says, Jews expelled from Jerusalem settled there.
• The main local attraction, the Green Mosque or Tomb of Khoja Parsa, was built in the 15th century.

Currently, this settlement is considered a major center of the textile industry.

Luxor

Luxor is a city located in Upper Egypt. Part of it lies on the eastern bank of the Nile. Was known as "Uaset" in the ancient world. It occupies the place where, according to historical data, the capital of Ancient Egypt, Thebes, was located. 5 centuries have passed since its foundation. Considered to be the largest museum under open air, therefore it is currently a tourist center.

Luxor is conventionally divided into two districts - the “City of the Living” and the “City of the Dead”. Most of the people live in the first region; in the second, due to the huge number of historical monuments, there are practically no settlements.

According to 2012 data, the population of Luxor is 506 thousand people. Almost all of them are Arabs by nationality.

Attractions:

Interesting Facts:

• in 1997, members of the Islamist group Al-Gamaa-Al-Islamiya carried out the so-called Luxor massacre in the city, during which 62 tourists died;
• in summer the temperature reaches + 50 °C in the shade;
• At one time the city was called “The Hundred Gates of Thebes.”

Now Luxor receives its main income from tourists.

El Fayoum

El Fayoum is a city in Central Egypt. Located in the oasis of the same name. Around it lies the Libyan Desert. Scientists have come to the conclusion that the city was founded more than in the 4th century. BC e. Its modern name comes from the Coptic language and means “lake”.

The city was the administrative center of Ancient Egypt. At that time, he bore the name Shedet, which literally translates as “sea.” The settlement received this name due to the fact that on its territory there was an artificial Lake Merida, in the waters of which crocodiles were bred to honor the Egyptian god Sebek.

In historical documents the city is also found under the name Crocodilopolis.

Currently, the population of Al-Fayoum is about 13 thousand people. The city is an agricultural center. Olives, grapes, sugar cane, dates, rice, and corn are grown in its fields. They also produce rose oil here.

The city's attractions:

Interesting facts about Al-Fayoum:

• national symbol the province in which the city is located - 4 water wheels;
• the Catholic Church currently believes that it has no authority over the city, although it was once a religious center;
• Lake Merida was dug almost 4 centuries ago.

It was in El-Fayoum that funerary portraits dating from the 1st-3rd centuries were first found. In honor of the city they were called “Fayum”.

The most ancient cities in Europe

Most Old city in the world, if we consider its European part, is Athens. Its name is known to every person. But there are other ancient settlements in Europe, for example, Mantua and Plovdiv, which are not nearly as famous.

Athens

Athens is one of the most famous and oldest cities in Greece, the capital of the state. It was founded approximately in the 7th century. BC e. The first written monuments that were discovered there date back to 1600 BC. e., but it is known for certain that people lived in Athens long before this time.

The settlement received its name in honor of its patroness, the goddess of war and wisdom, Athena. In the 5th century BC e. it became a city-state. It was there that the model of a democratic society first appeared, which is still considered ideal.

Such famous philosophers and writers as Sophocles, Aristotle, Socrates, Euripides, Plato were born in Athens. The ideas highlighted in their works are relevant to this day.

As of 2011, the population in Athens reached 3 million people, which is approximately a third of the total population of Greece.

The city center, where the Acropolis of Athens once stood, is now a favorite tourist destination. Most of the ancient buildings were erased from the face of the earth by time and wars; modern multi-storey buildings were built in their place. It is home to one of the largest European higher education institutions - the Polytechnic University of Athens.

Attractions:

Interesting Facts:

• the most popular types sports in Athens - basketball and football;
• in Greek the city is called "Athena" rather than "Athens";
• the settlement is considered the birthplace of the theater.

Now in the capital of Greece there are many museums where you can get acquainted with unique monuments fine arts dating back to the 2nd-3rd centuries. BC e.

Mantua

Mantua is an Italian city founded in the 6th century. BC e. It is surrounded on three sides by the waters of the Mincio River, which is quite unusual since builders usually try to avoid marshy areas.

For a long time Mantua was considered a city of art. It was here that the famous artist Rubens began his career - the author of the paintings “Entombment”, “Hercules and Omphale”, “Elevation of the Cross”. In the XVII-XVIII centuries. From a haven for cultural figures, the city was reclassified as an impregnable bastion.

The population of Mantua, according to data for 2004, was 48 thousand people. Currently, the city is a tourist center, as it has preserved many architectural monuments from different centuries.

Attractions:

Interesting Facts:

• Virgil, the creator of the Aeneid, one of the most famous ancient Roman poets, was born in one of the outskirts of Mantua;
• in 1739, Charles de Brosse, a French historian, wrote that the city can only be approached from one side, since it is surrounded by swamps;
• The historical center of Mantua is one of the World Heritage Sites.

The city's patron saint is Saint Anselm, who was not officially canonized. His memorial day falls on March 18. At the same time, residents celebrate City Day.

Plovdiv

The oldest city in the world, located on the territory of modern Europe, according to historian Dennis Rodwell, is Plovdiv. Now it is considered the second largest in Bulgaria. Once upon a time the city bore the names “Philippopolis” and “Filibe”. The first settlements on its territory appeared in the 6th century. BC e., during the Neolithic era.

At the beginning of World War II, the city took a central place in organizing support for the alliance between the USSR and Bulgaria. In 1941, the city was occupied by the Germans, as Bulgaria entered into an alliance with Germany. However, the resistance of the residents was not completely suppressed. A reconnaissance group was operating in the city, and in February 1943 it was defeated.

Currently, Plovdiv is the second most populous city in Bulgaria. It is home to 367 thousand people. The city has developed industries: agricultural, food, clothing, non-ferrous metallurgy. It is also home to the only factory in the country that produces cigarette filters and paper.

Attractions:

Fun facts:

• in Plovdiv there is a whole street with workshops that belong to hereditary artisans;
• Every year the International Plovdiv Fair is held here, which is popular throughout Europe;
• Bulgarian astronomer, Violetta Ivanova, discovered an asteroid, which she named after the city.

Every year an international boxing championship is held in Plovdiv.

The most ancient cities of the Middle East

In the Middle East there are two settlements that claim to be the oldest city in the world - Byblos and Jericho.

Bible

Byblos is an ancient Phoenician city, which is located on the territory of modern Lebanon, near the Mediterranean Sea. Currently it is called "Jbeil".

Historical finds indicate that Byblos was inhabited already in the 7th century. BC e., during the Neolithic era. But it was recognized as a city only after 4 centuries. And in ancient times it was considered the oldest settlement, but now its status is controversial.

The oldest city in the world, according to some scientists, Byblos is located on a well-protected hill, around which there is a lot of fertile soil, so this place was inhabited in the Neolithic era. But, for some unknown reason, by the arrival of the Phoenicians in the 4th century. BC e. there were no longer any inhabitants left, so the newcomers did not have to fight for the territory.

In the ancient world, the city's specialty was the papyrus trade. From its name come the words “byblos” (translated as “papyrus”) and “bible” (translated as “book”).

Currently, only 3 thousand people live in Byblos. Most of them adhere to Catholic and Muslim religious views. The city is one of Lebanon's main tourist centers.

Attractions:

Interesting Facts:

• the biblical alphabet has not yet been deciphered, since there are too few inscriptions on it, and there are no analogues in the world;
• Egyptian was the official language in the city for a long time;
• in Egyptian myths it is said that it was in the Bible that the goddess Isis found in wooden box body of Osiris.

The city is located 32 km away. from the current capital of Lebanon - Beirut.

Jericho

The oldest city in the world, according to most scientists, is Jericho. The first traces of habitation that were discovered there date back to the 9th century. BC e. The oldest city fortifications that were discovered were built at the end of the 7th century. BC e.

Jericho is located on the territory of modern Palestine, in the area of ​​the West Bank of the Jordan River. It is mentioned several times in the Bible, not only under its original name, but also as the “city of palm trees.”

In the middle of the 19th century. On a hill near the Jordan River, excavations began to be carried out, the purpose of which was to search for the ancient remains of Jericho. The first attempts did not produce any results. But at the beginning of the 20th century, the hill was completely excavated.

It turned out that in its depths lay layers architectural structures, relating to 7 different time periods. After repeated destruction, the city gradually moved to the south, which is why this phenomenon arose. The population of modern Jericho is only 20 thousand inhabitants.

The city, which is considered the oldest in the world, has been closed to visitors since 2000, after armed uprisings in Palestine. In exceptional cases, the leadership of the Israeli army gives tourists the go-ahead to visit.

Attractions:

• ruins of ancient Jericho;
• Forty Day Mountain;
• Zacchaeus tree.

Interesting Facts:

• in Hebrew the name of the city sounds like “Jericho”, and in Arabic- "Eriha";
• this is one of the oldest settlements in which people lived continuously;
• Jericho is mentioned not only in the Bible, but also in the works of Josephus, Ptolemy, Strabo, Pliny - all of them were ancient Roman writers and scientists.

Supporters of the separation of the concepts of “city” and “urban settlement” believe that only Damascus, the capital of modern Syria, can compete with Jericho in age.

What is the most ancient city in Russia?

Until 2014, Derbent, located in the southern part of the Republic of Dagestan, was considered the most ancient city in Russia. The first mention of a settlement on its territory dates back to the 6th century. BC e. The city itself was founded in the 5th century. n. e.

In 2017, after the annexation of the Crimean Peninsula, Kerch began to be considered the oldest city in Russia. On its territory, sites dating back to the 8th century were discovered. BC e. The first settlement appeared in the 7th century. BC e. And the city itself was founded around the 3rd century. BC e.

Kerch first became part of the Russian Empire at the end of the 8th century. as a result Russian-Turkish War. At this time, there was active mining of shells and limestone for construction needs. By the beginning of the 20th century. iron ore deposits were discovered near the city, which played a big role in economic development cities.

Currently, the population of Kerch is 150 thousand people. Tourists often come to the city, as it is located at the junction of the Azov and Black Seas. The city also continues to be one of the largest shipbuilding and metal foundry centers.

Attractions:

• Tsarsky Kurgan;
• Tiritaka;
• Yeni-Kale fortress;
• Merimekey;
• Nymphaeum.

Interesting Facts:

Although the title of the oldest city in the world is difficult to assign to just one settlement, scientists were able to identify several leaders: Jericho, Byblos and Damascus.

Jericho currently occupies the leading position, but other cities deserve no less interest.

Article format: Vladimir the Great

Video about the oldest city in the world

The most ancient city in the World:

According to scientists, modern man descended from a small population of homo sapiens that survived a terrible natural disaster that occurred 74,000 years ago and spread across the African continent. After 10-14 thousand years, its members penetrated into Asia, and even later into Europe and America.

With the advent of agriculture, people stopped wandering and began to found villages. Over time, they grew, and around the 7th millennium, the most ancient cities in the world began to emerge.

Some terminology

Before talking about the oldest cities in the world, you should find out what is meant by this definition. In particular, as a result of archaeological excavations on different continents, many large settlements were found. However, today it is customary to call the ancient cities of the world only those that have never been abandoned by their inhabitants since their founding. At the same time, some scientists continue to argue over whether the “age” should not be counted from the moment when a given settlement ceased to be a village, i.e. number of residents involved agriculture, became less than the number of peasants. Based on these considerations, many ancient cities will become several thousand years younger.

Jericho

Be that as it may, today it is customary to answer the question of what is the most ancient city in the world by calling Jericho. The first traces of humans found on its territory date back to the 10th millennium BC. e., and the oldest buildings excavated by archaeologists - by the year 95,000. The history of Jericho can be traced in some detail in Old Testament, and later it is repeatedly mentioned in Roman chronicles. In particular, it is known that it was presented by Mark Antony as a gift to Cleopatra. However, later Emperor Augustus gave it to King Herod, who built many magnificent structures there. In addition, there are records that a Christian church was built in Jericho in the first centuries AD.

Having existed until the 9th century, the city fell into decline due to the wars of Muslims with the Crusaders and Bedouin raids, and from the 13th century it turned into a small Muslim village, destroyed in the 19th century by the Turks. Only at the beginning of the 1920s was the irrigation system restored in the territory of Jericho. After this, these places began to be inhabited by Arabs.

Today Jericho is not Big city with a population of just over 20,000 people, located in the unrecognized State of Palestine. Its main attraction is the Tel es-Sultan hill with a tower believed to be 9 thousand years old.

Damascus

As already mentioned, when the most ancient cities in the world are listed, the list usually begins with Jericho. But the second position in this ranking belongs to Damascus. The city was founded in 2500 BC. e. However, scientists believe that its territory has been continuously inhabited by people since the 10th millennium BC. e. From the 15th century BC. e. at different periods the city was under the rule of the Egyptian pharaohs, Assyria, Israel, Persia and other powerful states of that time. The history of Damascus is no less interesting and more late time. In particular, it is known that after the visit of St. Apostle Paul, just a few years after the crucifixion of the Savior, there was already a Christian community in the city, and in the Middle Ages it was stormed three times, but the crusading knights were never able to capture it. Like the most ancient city in the world, Jericho, Damascus lay in ruins for some time. The fault was the troops of Tamerlane, who invaded Syria in 1400 and carried out a terrible massacre, the consequences of which are still long years did not allow Damascus to regain its former power.

The most ancient city in the world according to ancient historians

Scientists learned about the true age of Jericho only in the second half of the last century, and before that, in different eras, completely different cities laid claim to this title. For example, in ancient world It was believed that Byblos, which appears in the Old Testament under the name Gebal, was founded earlier than others. It has been mentioned as a city since the 4th millennium BC. e. Many legends are associated with it. For example, the ancient Egyptians believed that it was there that Isis found the body of the god Osiris. In addition, Jebel (the Arabic name for Byblos) is known as the site of various ancient cults, such as those worshiping Baal and Adonis. Since it was in it that it was produced most of papyrus produced in the ancient world, the first books made from such “paper” began to be called byblos.

Athens

Interestingly, the capital of Greece does not claim to be the most ancient city in the world, since it was founded only around 1400 BC. e. It is known that even in the Mycenaean era there was a palace and a fortified settlement there. For thousands of years, Athens has been a major educational and cultural center ancient world and did not lose this role even during Roman times. Today you can see many architectural monuments there, which are several thousand years old. Moreover, in terms of their number, Athens is far superior to other ancient cities on the planet.

Rome

Oddly enough, Rome, which has been called eternal for thousands of years, is not included in the list of the 10 most ancient cities in the world, since it was founded in 753 BC. e. However, it is obvious that settlements existed in its place many millennia before. It’s just that if historians get information about the origin of other cities from archaeological excavations, the “birthday” of Rome was “calculated” in the first century based on the legend about the sons of Mars and Princess Rhea Silvia - Remus and Romulus.

The most ancient cities in the world: Yerevan

Few people know that the capital of Armenia, or more precisely, the city of Erebuni that existed in its place, is 29 years older than Rome. Moreover, this fortress has quite significant both direct and figuratively"birth certificate" signed by its founder - Argishty, son of Menua. We are talking about a stone with cuneiform writing, which in 1894 the famous Russian anthropologist A. Ivanovsky acquired from one of the Armenian peasants. The inscription on the boulder was deciphered, and it turned out that it reports the construction of a large granary by King Argishta the First. More than half a century later, on the outskirts of Yerevan, on the Arin-berd hill, excavations were carried out and two more slabs were found, one of which already touched the base of the fortress. In addition, another “Erebuni metric” was found, already embedded in the wall of the fortress, some of the buildings of which have been perfectly preserved to this day. In particular, today in the Erebuni fortress, recognized by Forbes as the 9th oldest in the world, you can see the ruins of the Susi temple, with cuneiform tablets of King Argishti, the wall of the sanctuary of the god Khaldi with beautiful wall paintings, an ancient stone water supply system and much more.

Derbent

When talking about the most ancient cities in the world, one cannot fail to mention the Russian Derbent. Judging by archaeological finds, a settlement in its place existed as early as the 4th millennium BC. e. and was repeatedly raided. As for the name Derbent, it was first found by Herodotus in a document of the 5th century. It is also known that in the first century AD, in order to capture this city, which was considered the gateway to the Caspian Sea, the Romans and Persians, who fought for dominance in the Caucasus and adjacent regions, organized campaigns.

Now you know which is the most ancient city in the world, some interesting information about Damascus, Derbent, Yerevan, Byblos and other cities.

This material will introduce you not to the very first cities that appeared on our planet, but to those cities that, from the moment of their founding, were constantly inhabited. Although, the debate about who is the most among them has been going on for years.

1. Most often, the most ancient city that safely exists to this day is considered Palestinian town of Jericho, which appeared back in the Copper Age (9000 BC).

2. In second place is the capital of Syria is Damascus. It appeared in the same era as Jericho, but approximately a thousand years later.

3. small town Bible located in the suburbs capital of Lebanon, Beirut, has a history that dates back to the Neolithic (7000 BC).

Photo of the old city.

4. Iranian city of Susa (Shush) has a disputed founding date, which ranges from 5000-7000 BC.

5. Another disputed city is Syrian Aleppo. The problem is that there is no old and new city. Present-day Aleppo is located on the site of the first settlements, which significantly complicates archaeological excavations.

6. Sidon - Lebanese town, first inhabited 5500 BC

7. El Fayoum - an oasis city in the middle of the Libyan Desert was founded around 4000 BC.

8. Oddly enough, but the oldest in Europe, a still existing city with a constant population throughout history, is Bulgarian Plovdiv (city on seven hills), on the modern territory of which the first settlements appeared also 4000 BC.

9. Turkish Gaziantep, According to one version, it appeared 3650 BC. But the date is also disputed downward.

10. Two greek cities, Argos and Athens, appeared at about the same time. However, controversy surrounding the first permanent settlements continues constantly. Accurate facts about the existence of urban settlements date back to 5000 BC. However, there is information about seven millennia BC. In general, the debate continues.

Argos.
center]

Many ancient cities claim 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 “Trumpet of Jericho” comes from.

Jericho is fed by the water of the powerful spring Ain es-Sultan (“Source of the Sultan”), to which the city owes its existence. The Arabs call the name of this source a hill north of modern Jericho - Tell es-Sultan (“Mountain of the Sultan”). Already at the end of the 19th century, it attracted the attention of archaeologists and is still considered one of most important places 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 was 2 m thick and 8-10 m high, and the thickness interior 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 excavations, archaeologists came across the remains construction waste, which were of even greater interest to science than the findings 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 outstanding discovery, which completely changed our understanding of the early history of mankind. 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, for example, 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 stone wall 1.64 m thick, preserved at a height of 3.94 m. Its original height probably reached 5 m, and above it was masonry made of mud bricks.

During the excavations, a large round stone tower with a diameter of 7 m was discovered, preserved to a height of 8.15 m, with an internal staircase carefully built from solid stone slabs a meter wide. 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 significant work force and the presence of some central authority to organize and direct the work. Researchers estimate the population of this first city in the world at 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 average 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 right up 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 posts. 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 by 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, but the last, most ancient, was found in the southeastern part of Syria under a huge hill near the village of Hamukar . The mysterious city was also named 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 - the “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 McGuire Gibson, a leading researcher at the Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago. 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. It gradually grew, its territory increased to 102 hectares, and subsequently the settlement became one of the 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 populated 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 huge quantities of things from 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 great amount beads made of bone, earthenware, stone and shells, some of which were so small size, which can be assumed: 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. Doorjamb, 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 - 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.

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Which city can rightfully be considered the most ancient in the world? Scientists cannot give a definite answer to this question to this day. However, there are several cities that can be included in the list of the oldest on the planet. We will talk about them further.

Jericho (Palestine)

Scientists around the world agree that Jericho can be called the most ancient city in the world. It is assumed that the date of its foundation is 9000 BC. What is surprising is that this city, which stands on the Jordan River (or rather, on its western bank), is still home to more than 20,000 residents. Jericho stands out against the background of the surrounding desert with its fresh greenery and vibrant picturesque landscape. The abundance of greenery in the city is explained by the presence of underground springs and streams of water that flow here from the neighboring mountains in the winter season.

Jericho can be safely called not only the most ancient, but also one of the hottest cities on the planet. And all thanks to the tropical climate that prevails on its territory. Here you can see many attractions, the main of which are the springs of Elisha, the Church of the Virgin Mary, the house of the harlot Rahab and other buildings.

Byblos (Lebanon)

The ancient city of Byblos was founded by the Phoenicians around 5000 BC. It is located on the Mediterranean coast and stands out for its beauty and uniqueness. Legends say that the founder of the city of Byblos is the god Kronos, who lived in Ancient Greece and being the father of Zeus.

It is known that the city was originally called Gebal, but later it was renamed Byblos in honor of the Greeks, who brought papyrus to the area. The name of this city has the same root as the word “Bible”, but there is no information about the Christian significance of this area. The main attractions of Byblos are the Church of St. John the Baptist, the Church of Byblos, Phoenician temples, as well as the medieval wall of Byblos.

Susa (Iran)

The city of Susa, founded in 4200 BC, was once the capital of the Elamite Empire. Somewhat later it became the capital of the Achaemenid kings of Persia. Over the course of many centuries, the ruins of the city passed into the possession of different dynasties: the rulers of Iran, Assyria, and later (during the reign of Cyrus the Great) the kings of Persia.

What gives the city special interest is its rectangular shape. Inside the city are the main treasury of the Elamite kings, as well as their palace. The walls of the city, according to ancient sources, are built of asphalt and brick.

Today, on the territory of the ancient city of Susa, the city of Shusha is located, home to more than 65,000 inhabitants.

Delhi (India)

The capital of India, Delhi, was founded in 4000 BC. It is located on the coast of the Yamuna River, in the northern part of the country. According to ancient legends, on the territory of the city of Delhi there were once 7 cities, the most famous of which was the city of Indraprastha, where the heroes of the ancient epic “Mahabharata” lived. The main settlements in the city began to appear in 300 BC. Today the city's population numbers more than 14 million inhabitants.

Sidon (Lebanon)

The Lebanese city of Sidon was founded around 4000 BC. It is located near Beirut and is one of the most important cities of the ancient Phoenicians. It was from here, according to famous legends, that the Phoenician Mediterranean empire began.

The city of Sidon was the most important trade and craft center of Phenicia. From here, quality goods were supplied to many neighboring countries - clothing, fabrics, purple, glass, wood. There is an opinion that the city of Sidon was visited by the Apostle Paul and Jesus Christ. In 333 BC it was captured by Alexander the Great and only after the fall of Egypt it gained independence.