The oldest city in history. The most ancient city in the world

The first city in history is currently considered to be Eridu, founded in Sumer around 5400BC e.Today it is only an archaeological zone in southern Iraq - the inhabitants left Eris around the 6th centuryBC e.But people still live in some ancient cities, and you can visit them.

Europe

The oldest and still inhabited city in Europe is called the Greek Argos, which lies in the center of the country's driest valley on the Peloponnese Peninsula. The first settlements appeared here in the 6th–5th millennium BC. e., and since then, that is, for 7,000 years now, the city, either shrinking to the size of a village, or growing to a city on the scale of a regional center (now about 23 thousand people live in it), ends up in chronicles, epics, and tragedies. (Remember the kingdom of the Argives, which was led by the hero of the Iliad Agamemnon, who was killed by his own wife and her lover upon returning from Troy? So, he ruled right here.)

Ruins of the amphitheater on Larissa hill and the city of Argos

The Greek capital, Athens, competes with Argos (but, according to available archaeological data, still loses). This city was founded about a thousand years later than Argos (although the first traces of people in the area date back to the 11th millennium BC), and by 1400 BC. e. Athens became the most important settlement in the region.

In today's continental Greece and on the islands that belong to it, there are still many contenders for a place in the ten oldest cities in Europe, but if, for a change, we look at other parts of the map of the continent, we will also find the Bulgarian Plovdiv, founded by the Thracians in 479 BC. e., and Georgian Kutaisi, which appeared somewhere between the 6th and 4th centuries BC. e.

Ruins of an ancient Roman theater in Plovdiv

Asia

In addition to the cities of the Middle East mentioned above, there are several more contenders in Asia for the title of the most ancient. Thus, on the territory of present-day Iraq are Erbil and Kirkuk - Mesopotamian settlements founded in the 3rd millennium BC. e. Around the same time, the Tehran suburb of Rey appeared (and became famous under the name Arsakia). Its population now amounts to almost a quarter of a million people, and there is a metro service from Tehran. If we turn our gaze to other parts of the largest continent on the planet, we will find Indian Varanasi, founded around 1800 BC. e., and Afghan Balkh was once one of the greatest cities of antiquity, the center of the richest fertile Bactria (from where, according to N.I. Vavilov, wheat originated, which became the main grain crop of the world). During the heyday of the Great Silk Road, about a million people lived in Balkh at the same time. Now, however, there are only about 80 thousand inhabitants left here.

Early morning in Varanasi

It would be wrong not to mention here one of the four great ancient capitals of China - the city of Luoyang, located in the western part of China where the Lohe River flows into the Yellow River. The first settlements, according to chronicles, appeared here in 2070 BC. e., and about 500 years later the first city was built. Today, Luoyang is considered the cradle of Chinese civilization.

Figures of deities at the Longmen Temple complex (495–898) near Luoyang

The closest ancient and inhabited Asian city to us is Uzbek Samarkand. It was built between the 8th and 7th centuries BC. e.

Africa

The oldest city in Africa that still exists is not entirely African - rather Middle Eastern. We are talking about Luxor, in ancient times known as the Egyptian Thebes (not to be confused with the Greek). It was founded back in the 3rd millennium BC. e., and around 1550 BC. e. became the capital of all Egypt, which it remained for the next five centuries. During the Ptolemaic era, Thebes was destroyed. And although the city turned into two villages (Luxor and Karnak), life in it did not calm down. And today there are almost half a million inhabitants, not counting the countless tourists who come from all over the world to see the famous temple complex of Ramses.

Sphinxes in the Luxor Temple of Ramses

Relatively close (on a continental scale, of course), northwest of Thebes, is Tripoli, founded in the 7th century BC. e. Phoenicians and passed from hand to hand for centuries (it was owned in turn by the Romans, Vandals, Spaniards, pirates, Turks, Italians, English and, finally, the Libyan Republic) and today is a millionaire city and the capital of Libya.

Sunset over Tripoli (Libya) - view from the sea

The most ancient city in Africa south of the equator is Ife, located in Nigeria, founded in the 4th century BC. e. and became one of the most important centers ancient civilization V West Africa. The Yoruba people consider it their ancestral home.

North and Central America

The peoples who inhabited the North American continent did not build cities - at least there is no evidence of this - until the peak of the culture of the Pueblo peoples, which occurred around the turn of the 1st and 2nd millennia AD. e. The Pueblos created settlements—very large villages rather than cities in the European sense—mostly in what is now the states of Arizona and New Mexico. It is there that the oldest continuously existing settlement in the United States is located - the village of Oribe, inhabited since approximately 1100 AD. e. You can see what these settlements probably looked like in the village of Taos Pueblo in the state of New Mexico on the territory of the Indian reservation. The complex of buildings preserved there, included in the list world heritage UNESCO, was built between 1000 and 1450 AD. e.

Adobe buildings of Taos Pueblo

But in Central America, cities began to be built much earlier. The oldest still inhabited is Cholula. The first traces of human habitation there appeared 12,000 years ago, the village - by the 2nd century BC. e., and a large city and an important regional center - in the VI-VII centuries. n. e.

It was probably built at this time Great Pyramid- the largest structure of its kind not only in the region, but throughout the world. Its base is a square measuring 400 by 400 meters, which is almost twice the size of the Great Pyramid of Giza. The height of the pyramid is 55 meters (three times lower than the one in Giza), and today it looks like a hill overgrown with trees, and on its top since the 16th century there has been a Catholic church, built shortly after the Spanish settlement of Puebla appeared in the area, which turned into a city with population of half a million people.

Great Pyramid of Cholula with the Church of Our Lady of the Deliverer at the top

The first European settlement in North and Central America and in general in the New World was Santo Domingo, the capital and largest city, occupying eastern part islands of Haiti. The city was founded by Bartolomeo Columbus four years after his older brother Christopher discovered the island on his first voyage to the continent.

South America

The oldest existing city in South America can be considered, apparently, the Peruvian Cusco, founded as the capital of the Inca Empire around 1100 AD. e. the first Inca, Manco Capac. True, people lived in this area long before this, but they did not build large settlements, and immediately before the founding of the city they were completely destroyed by the Incas - so that nothing would interfere with the construction of Cusco.

View of Cusco

Translated from the Inca language, the name of the city means “navel of the earth” or “center of the world.” It was from here that the Inca Empire spread to most of the western coast of the continent. On November 15, 1533, the conquistadors Francisco Pizarro arrived in Cusco, and, as you know, the empire soon came to an end, and the city fell to the Spaniards.

View of Cumana from the Castle of San Antonio

The oldest settlement on the continent, founded from scratch by Europeans, is the Venezuelan city of Cumana, which has stood on the Caribbean coast at the mouth of the Manzanares River since 1515, when an expedition of Franciscan monks arrived there. The city has survived numerous Indian attacks, earthquakes, and civil conflicts, and today is home to more than 400 thousand people.

Australia and Oceania

The indigenous peoples of Australia and Oceania did not build cities and led a rather primitive way of life (especially those who settled across the Australian continent). Europeans first landed in Australia in 1606. These were Dutch explorers led by Willem Janszoon. However, the first settlement on the Green Continent was founded by the British only at the end of the 18th century - in 1788 the first British ships with prisoners arrived here, and Sydney became the first city of the continent. At the same time, archaeological finds suggest that the first people appeared in Australia 30,000 years earlier.

The largest city of the Green Continent at sunset

The first European settlement in New Zealand is the village of Kerikeri, 80 kilometers north of the country's largest city, Auckland. Kerikeri was founded 26 years after Sydney as a mission station and today is a village with a population of about 6 thousand people. Here, by the way, the first grapes in New Zealand were grown.

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Russia is an ancient country. And on its territory there are many cities whose age has exceeded a thousand years. The historical and cultural heritage that they have preserved is an invaluable gift from past generations to future generations.

We present to you the oldest cities in Russia.

The official date of foundation of one of the cities that now makes up the Golden Ring of Russia is considered to be 990. And the founder is Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich.

Under the leadership of Vladimir Monomakh and Yuri Dolgoruky, the city became an important stronghold for the defense of the Rostov-Suzdal principality. And under Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky, Vladimir became the capital of the principality.

During the Tatar raids (1238 and later), the city surprisingly did not suffer much. Even the Golden Gate has survived to this day, although in a slightly different form from its original form.

On the territory of Vladimir there is the Vladimir Central prison, glorified by Mikhail Krug, built under Catherine II. It contained such famous personalities as Vasily Stalin, the son of Joseph Stalin, Mikhail Frunze and dissident Julius Daniel.

9. Bryansk -1032 years

It is not known exactly when exactly the city of Bryansk arose. The approximate date of its foundation is considered to be 985.

In 1607, the city was burned so that it would not fall to False Dmitry II. It was rebuilt and for the second time survived the siege of the troops of the “Tushinsky Thief”.

In the 17th century, Bryansk was one of the most important trading centers in Russia. And currently it is an important industrial center of the country.

8. Pskov – 1114 years

The founding date of Pskov is considered to be 903, when the city was first mentioned in the Laurentian Chronicle. Olga, the first Christian princess in Rus' and the wife of the Kyiv prince Igor Rurikovich, originally from Pskov.

For a long time Pskov was one of the most major cities Europe and was an impregnable barrier on the western borders of the country.

And in March 1917, while at Pskov station, the last Russian Emperor Nicholas II abdicated the throne and simply became a citizen of Romanov.

7. Smolensk - 1154 years

In September, beautiful and ancient Smolensk will celebrate its anniversary - 1155 years since its founding. It is only one year behind its closest rival in terms of mention in the chronicles (863 versus 862 for Murom).

For many centuries, this “key city” protected Moscow from attacks by a number of European countries. IN Time of Troubles Residents of Smolensk heroically held a siege for 20 months in the fortress, which was besieged by Polish troops. Although the Poles still managed to take the city, King Sigismund III, who spent all his money on the siege, had to abandon the idea of ​​going to Moscow. And not received military assistance The Moscow garrison of Poles surrendered to the Russian militia under the leadership of Dmitry Pozharsky and Kuzma Minin.

6. Murom – 1155 years

This small city, located on the left bank of the Oka, is mentioned in the Tale of Bygone Years. Its name supposedly came from the Muroma tribe, although historians do not exclude inverse relationship. One of the main characters of the Russian epic epic, the legendary hero Ilya Muromets, comes from the city of Murom. The townspeople are proud of this and even erected a monument to the hero in the city park.

5. Rostov the Great - 1156 years

Rostov, the current center of the Yaroslavl region, traces its official chronology back to 862. After its founding, the city became one of the most important settlements in the Rostov-Suzdal land. And he got the prefix “Great” thanks to the Ipatiev Chronicle. In it, when describing the events of 1151 (the victory of Prince Izyaslav Mstislavich over Yuri Dolgoruky), Rostov was called the Great.

4. Veliky Novgorod – 1158 years

At the beginning of June 2018, Veliky Novgorod will celebrate the 1159th anniversary of its founding. Here by official version Rurik was called to reign. And in 1136 Novgorod became the first in history feudal Rus' free republic. The city escaped the fate of many Russian cities and was not affected by the Mongol invasion. Precious architectural monuments of Rus' from the pre-Mongol period have been preserved in it to this day.

3. Old Ladoga - over 1250 years old

In 2003, the village of Staraya Ladoga celebrated its 1250th anniversary. Until 1703, the settlement was called “Ladoga” and had the status of a city. The first mention of Ladoga dates back to 862 AD (the time of the calling of the Varangian Rurik to reign). There is even a version that Ladoga is the first capital of Rus', because Rurik reigned there, and not in Novgorod.

2. Derbent - over 2000 years

If you conduct a survey about which is the most Old city in Russia, then most educated people will name Derbent as such. This sun-drenched city, the southernmost in Russia, located in the Republic of Dagestan, officially celebrated its 2000th anniversary in September 2015. However, many Derbent residents, as well as some scientists conducting excavations on the territory of Derbent, are confident that the city is 3000 years older.

The Caspian Gate - and this is precisely the ancient name of Derbent - was mentioned as a geographical object back in the 6th century. Don e. in the works of the ancient Greek geographer Hecataeus of Miletus. And the beginning of the modern city was laid in 438 AD. e. Then Derbent was the Persian fortress of Naryn-Kala, with two fortress walls blocking the path along the shore of the Caspian Sea. And the earliest mention of Derbent as a stone city was in 568 AD or the 37th year of the reign of Shah Khosrow I Anushirvan.

The date of 2000 years is not exact, but more of an anniversary date, and refers to the time of the appearance of the first fortifications in Caucasian Albania.

Until 2014, when the Crimean Peninsula returned to Russia, Derbent held the title of the oldest Russian city. However, in 2017, the Rambler / Saturday media reported that The Academic Council of the Institute of Archeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences recognized Kerch as the most ancient city in Russia. The ruins of the ancient Greek colony of Panticapaeum have been preserved on the territory of the city. Historically, Kerch is the heir of Panticapaeum and its age has exceeded 2600 years.

According to archaeological research, the foundation of Kerch dates back to the time range from 610 to 590 BC. e. Historical and architectural monuments belonging to different eras have been preserved on its territory. These include: burial mounds from the Bronze Age, the ruins of the city of Nymphaeum, the ancient settlement of Myrmekiy, etc.

Kerch did not immediately receive its current name, after Panticapaeum ceased to be the historical and cultural center of the Black Sea region.

• In the 8th century, the city came under the rule of the Khazar Khaganate and was renamed from Panticapaeum to Karsha or Charsha.
• In the 10th century, the Northern Black Sea region came under the control of the Rus. The Tmutarakan principality appeared, which included the city of Karsha, named Korchev. It was one of the most important sea gates of Kievan Rus.
• In the 12th century, Korchev came under Byzantine rule, and in the 14th century it became part of the Black Sea Genoese colonies, and was called Vospro, as well as Cherchio. The local inhabitants also retained the name Korchev in everyday use.
• In the 15th century, the merchant and diplomat Josaphat Barbaro, in one of the chapters of his work “Travels to Tana,” named the city Chersh (Kersh).
• In 1475, the Turks captured the Genoese colonies and Cerchio became part of the Ottoman Empire. The city began to be called Cherzeti. He repeatedly suffered from raids by Zaporozhye Cossacks.
• In the 16th century, ambassadors of the Moscow kings going to the Crimean Khan knew the city as “Kerch”.
• In 1774, Kerch (already under its final name) became part of Russian Empire. This happened as a result Russian-Turkish War 1768-1774

In order for Kerch to officially top the list of the oldest cities in Russia, it is necessary to obtain the approval of the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Russian government. The management of the East Crimean Nature Reserve prepared the relevant documents last year.

Every city has its own history of creation, but not every one of them can boast of centuries-old existence. Some settlements that exist today were formed a very long time ago. The age of many cities has been established with the help of archaeological and historical researchers, whose conclusions indicate the approximate time of their appearance. Based on these data, the rating was compiled: oldest cities in the world, where the most ancient urban settlements of our planet are considered.

This city is known to many residents of all countries, as it contains holy places of Jews, Christians and Muslims. It is also called the city of peace and the city of three religions. The first traces of humans on the territory of Jerusalem appeared already in 2800 BC. e., therefore it can rightfully be considered one of the oldest cities in the world.

During its history, Jerusalem has gone through multiple wars, two times they tried to completely destroy it, but to this day it delights us with its grandeur and beauty and happily welcomes pilgrims from all over the world. In Jerusalem there are amazingly mixed centuries-old traditions different peoples, which is expressed in historical monuments, the culture of local residents and unique architecture.

Beirut ranks 9th in the ranking of the oldest cities in the world. According to various sources, the city appeared 3000-5000 BC. e. During its existence, Beirut was destroyed several times, but it was always possible to restore it.

Excavations were repeatedly carried out on the territory of the Lebanese capital, during which various artifacts belonging to Phoenician, Ottoman, Roman and many other ethnic communities were found. According to research, written mentions of Beirut date back to the 14th century BC. e. Now the city is the tourist center of Lebanon. Its population is 361,000 people.

Gaziantep is one of the oldest cities in Turkey and the world. It is located close to the Syrian border. Its settlement occurred in 3650 BC. e. Until 1921, the city had a different name – Antep, after which the title “gazi” was added to it, which means brave. IN ancient times Crusades passed through the city, and in 1183, during the Ottoman Empire, mosques and inns began to be built in Gaziantep, later it became shopping center.

Modern city inhabited by Turks, Arabs and Kurds, their approximate number is 850,000 people. Every year Gaziantep is visited by crowds of tourists from different countries. There is a lot to see here: ruins of ancient cities, museums, bridges and other unique attractions.

The first settlements in the Bulgarian city of Plovdiv appeared 4000 BC. e. According to some reports, it is the oldest city in Europe, which is why it is ranked 7th in the ranking of the oldest cities in the world. In 342 BC. e. Plovdiv was called differently - Odris. This name can be seen on ancient bronze coins.

In the 6th century the city was under the control of Slavic tribes, later it became part of Bulgarian kingdom and was renamed Pyldin. During its subsequent history, the city fell under the rule of the Byzantines several times and returned again to the Bulgarians. In 1364, Plovdiv was captured by the Ottomans. The modern city is famous for its large number of historical architectural monuments and other attractions known far beyond the borders of Bulgaria.

This Egyptian city appeared around 4000 BC. e. It is located on the territory of another ancient city of Crocodilopolis, southwest of Cairo. The fact that it is one of the oldest cities in the world is evidenced by excavations that confirm the visit of the city by the pharaohs of the 12th dynasty. In those days the city was called Shedet, which translated means sea.

Currently, Al-Fayoum is filled with numerous markets, bazaars and mosques. The city has an unusual infrastructure with various attractions. Rose oil is produced here, Exotic fruits and cereal crops.

The oldest city in Lebanon began its existence 4000 BC. e. It is located 40 km from the capital. According to historical data, it is known that Jesus and the Apostle Paul visited it. During the time of the Phoenicians, it was the largest trading center in the Mediterranean. Has survived to this day sea ​​port, built in the Phoenician era.

Sidon was part of various states and empires many times. It was considered one of the most impregnable cities. Now about 200,000 people live here.

The very first settlements in Susa appeared in 4200 BC. e., the city is mentioned in the ancient Sumerian chronicles, as well as in the Old Testament and others scriptures. The city had the status of the capital of the Elamite Empire until it was captured by the Assyrians. In 668, a battle took place during which the city was sacked and burned. Ten years later, the Elamite Empire disappeared.

One of the most ancient cities of Susa suffered bloody massacres and destruction many times, but each time it was rebuilt. Currently, the city of Susa is called Shush; its population is about 65 thousand people, mostly Muslims and Jews.

One of the three oldest cities in the world is Byblos, not known as Jebeil. This Lebanese city was founded in the 4th-5th millennium BC. e. It was built by the Phoenicians and gave it the name Gebal. On its territory there are many Phoenician shrines, as well as the Church of John the Baptist. The city began to be called Biblios by the ancient Greeks, who visited the city and purchased papyrus here. In ancient times, Biblios was the largest port.

The Biblios writings have never been translated; they still remain a mystery left by the ancient city. They bear no resemblance to any of the writing systems of that time.

The second position is occupied by the ancient city of Damascus. The first mentions of it date back to the 15th century BC. e. During this period of time, Egyptian pharaohs ruled here. Later the city was the center of the Damascus kingdom. During the rest of its existence, Damascus repeatedly became part of different states and empires. It is known that the Apostle Paul visited Damascus, and it was then that the first Christians appeared here.

Currently, Damascus is the cultural capital and the second largest Syrian city, with more than 1.5 million people living here.

The top of the pedestal rightfully belongs to the oldest city in the world - Jericho. Historians have discovered on its territory the remains of ancient settlements that settled here back in the 9th millennium BC. e. The city is located on the banks of the holy Jordan River and is known to many from the biblical scriptures.

Modern Jericho is a real living museum of ancient monuments. Here you can see the ruins remaining from the palace of King Herod, visit the source of the holy prophet Elisha and visit various Orthodox shrines. Currently its population is more than 20,000 people.

Many ancient cities lay claim to the right to be called the first city on Earth. But first of all, this definition 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 in late XIX 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 began excavations at Mount Sultana for the first time. They came across two parallel fortress walls, built from sun-dried bricks. Exterior 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. e. 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 a layer of construction debris that was 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. 1935–1936. Garstang had encountered the lowest layers of a Stone Age settlement. He discovered a cultural layer older than the 5th millennium BC. e., 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 ideas about 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 not a special-purpose structure that combined many functions, including the function of a guard post to monitor 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 is 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. e.

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 e., 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: a 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, and cowrie shells from the Red Sea were found in the ruins of Jericho - all of 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 there was a stone wall 1.64 m thick, preserved to a height of 3.94 m. Its original height probably reached 5 m. and above there was a masonry of mud bricks.

During excavations, a large round stone tower with a diameter of 7 m was discovered, preserved to a height of 8.15 m, with internal staircase, carefully assembled 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. e. and lasted for a very long time for a 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 premises were often rebuilt. One of them, which died 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 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 interlocking 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 rough food, which consisted of cereals and legumes ground in stone mortars, these people's teeth were completely worn out. Despite a more comfortable habitat than that of primitive hunters, their life was extremely difficult, and the average age of 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 for the most part Headless skeletons are found. 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 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 by rock paintings or images on cave walls. The figures found 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 appearance of Jericho - the first urban center - indicates the origin tall forms 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.

On this day:

• Days of death
• 1886 Died Friedrich Samoilovich Bayern- Russian naturalist and archaeologist, researcher of the Samtavra burial ground in the Caucasus.
• 1960 Died: Leading English archaeologist of the first half of the 20th century; led excavations of material culture monuments of Sumer, Ancient Egypt, Syria, Nubia, ancient Anatolia, explorer Ur.
• 1963 Died Konstantin Mikhailovich Polikarpovich- Belarusian Soviet scientist-archaeologist, founder of the study of the Stone Age in the Upper Dnieper region.

Not all cities are lucky enough to preserve their original appearance. During difficult times of wars and conquests, many cities were destroyed and then rebuilt, so only a few buildings managed to “survive” to our times. There are still majestic cities left that can rightfully bear the proud title of “the oldest city in the world.”

Jericho (Palestine)

Mention of the first settlements on the site of modern Jericho dates back to 9000 BC. Three millennia later, the city began to actively rebuild and already at the turn of the 3rd and 2nd millennia it reached the peak of its development. It was destroyed several times, one of which was mentioned in the Bible.

It was a majestic city, where houses were built of brick and stone. Archaeologists have discovered here the ruins of an ancient synagogue dating back to the 1st century BC, magnificent winter palaces with baths, swimming pools and richly decorated halls. Not far from Jericho rises Mount Carantal, on which, according to legend, Jesus was tempted by the devil for forty days. Now in that place there is a majestic Monastery of Temptation carved into the rocks.

Damascus (Syria)

Another very ancient city is Damascus, the first mention of which appeared in the middle of the 2nd millennium BC. Due to the fact that in ancient times Damascus was under the rule of the Egyptians, Israelis, Assyrians, Persians and even, this ancient city absorbed the culture of these peoples.

He became famous for his Damascus steel, which was popular in medieval Europe. Today here you can see the ruins of the ancient gates of the fortress, protecting the city from raids, Catholic churches, temples, mosques, old houses, which are the most important monuments of Damascus culture and history.

Susa (Iran)

The first mention of the ancient city of Susa (modern Shush) dates back to the 7-4 millennium BC. It was the ancient Sumerian capital of the state of Elam. In 668 BC. The Babylonians burned Susa, and after 10 years the state of Elam ceased to exist. The Persians rebuilt the city, restoring and expanding the magnificent palaces and making Susa their capital.

In our era, the city was sacked and destroyed by Muslims and Mongols, so few monuments from that period have reached us. Only the French archaeological expedition, which carried out excavations of the ancient city, left the most significant attraction - the French fortress, built in the 19th century to protect the members of the expedition and guard the finds.

Derbent (Dagestan)

Russia also has the most ancient city, and it was founded in 438 AD, although the first mentions of settlements date back to the end of the 4th millennium BC. WITH different languages its name translates as “closed gate”, “stone”, “wall”. And this is no coincidence - due to frequent raids by nomads, Derbent turned into a reliable fortress. Since the Great Silk Road passed through the city, it was of great commercial importance, and at one time many nations wanted to conquer it. It was under the control of the Persians, Arabs, Iranians, and only in 1813 it began to belong to Russia.

The main attractions of Derbent are its fortress with many gates, the Juma Mosque, the oldest in Russia, the Naryn-Kala fortress and the Derbent tunnel, the length of which is 318 m.

Plovdiv (Bulgaria)

The oldest city in Bulgaria was known back in the 6th millennium BC. In 72 BC. came under Roman rule and quickly developed. The influence of Rome has brought to our times the Roman buildings of that time - the amphitheater, baths and hippodrome. In the 6th century they began to belong to the Bulgarians (Slavic tribe), then to Byzantium, and in 1364 they were captured Ottoman Empire.

Plovdiv is now the second largest city in Bulgaria. The rich history of the city has left many wonderful sights that characterize a particular culture. Here you can see ancient Roman buildings, mosques, and a Thracian fortress.

Jerusalem (Israel)

This city has rich history associated with conquests and biblical legends. Founded in the 4th millennium BC. Jerusalem has sacred significance for millions of people. Many biblical events are associated with it, including the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Its history is truly amazing and extensive. Here are the shrines of Christianity, Judaism and Islam, and thousands of pilgrims come to Jerusalem every year to remember their saints and pray.

The most famous sights of Jerusalem are the Western Wall, the mosque on the Temple Mount and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

Athens, Greece)

The first mention of the ancient capital of Greece dates back to the 15th century BC. It reached its peak in 500-300 BC. and rightfully bears the name of the cradle of Greek culture. It became the birthplace of many famous ancient Greek historians, geographers, poets and philosophers. Monuments are still preserved here ancient history, such as the Acropolis, Athens Agora, Temple of Hephaestus and Temple of Olympian Zeus, etc.

This is only a partial list of the most ancient cities. There are still cities in the world that have such an old history that one can only guess about their origin and foundation from the few documents that have come down to us. They are priceless because they have seen the change of eras and civilizations, and even despite the ruins, their greatness will never fade into oblivion.