Ancient cities amaze with their grandeur: our history was born and unfolded in them. And although most of the ancient cities have not survived to our time, there are those few that we can see today. Some of these cities are small, while others are huge. This list represents cities that have not only survived to this day, but also continue to function. Each city was photographed at sunrise and sunset. In addition, in some photographs you can find the sights of these places.

10. Plovdiv
Founded: before 400 BC

Plovdiv is located in modern Bulgaria. It was founded by the Thracians and was originally called Eumolpias. It was conquered by the Macedonians and eventually became part of modern Bulgaria. It is the second largest and most important city in Bulgaria after the capital Sofia, which is located about 150 kilometers away.

9. Jerusalem
Founded: 2000 BC




Jerusalem is one of the oldest cities in the world, and is considered the holy city of Christianity, Islam and Judaism. It is the capital of Israel (although not all countries recognize this fact). In ancient times it was the famous city of David from the Bible, and then the place where Jesus spent his last week life.

8. Xi'an
Founded: 1100 BC




One of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China, Xi'an is now the capital of Shaanxi Province. The city is full of ancient ruins, monuments, and still has an ancient wall built during the Ming Dynasty - pictured below. It also contains the tombs of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, who is best known for his Terracotta Army.

7. Cholula
Founded: 500 BC




Cholula is located in the Mexican state of Puebla, which was founded before Columbus arrived on the shores of America. Its most famous landmark is the Great Pyramid of Cholula, which now appears as a hill with a church on top. However, in reality the hill is the base of the pyramid. The pyramid temple is the largest in the new world.

6. Varanasi
Founded: 1200 BC




Varanasi (also known as Benares) is located in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Jains and Hindus consider it a holy city and believe that if a person dies there, he will achieve salvation. It is the oldest inhabited city in India and one of the oldest in the world. Along the Ganges River you can find many pits - these are stops on the way of believers, in which they perform religious ablutions.

5. Lisbon
Founded: 1200 BC




Lisbon is the largest city and capital of Portugal. This is the most Old city V Western Europe- much older than London, Rome, and similar cities. Religious and funerary monuments have been preserved there since the Neolithic era, and archaeological evidence also suggests that it was once an important trading city for the Phoenicians. In 1755 the city was moved devastating earthquake, which almost completely destroyed it due to fires and tsunamis - this earthquake was one of the deadliest in history.

4. Athens
Founded: 1400 BC




Athens is the capital of Greece and also the largest city. Its 3,400-year history is eventful, and due to Athenian dominance of the region as a vast city-state, much of the culture and customs of the ancient Athenians were reflected in many other cultures. The many archaeological sites make Athens an ideal city to visit for those with an interest in European history and culture.

3. Damascus
Founded: 1700 BC




Damascus is the capital of Syria and more than 2.6 million people live here. However, unfortunately, recent civil uprisings have caused considerable damage to one of the most significant and ancient cities in history. Damascus was included in the top 12 sites cultural heritage that are in danger of being destroyed or at risk of suffering irreparable damage. Only time will tell whether this ancient city will be able to survive or whether it will go down in history as one of the world's ancient vanished cities.

2. Rome
Founded: 753 BC




Initially, Rome was a collection of small urban-type settlements. However, it eventually became a city-state governing one of the greatest empires throughout the history of mankind. The period of existence of the Roman Empire (which grew from the Roman Republic) was relatively short-lived - it was founded in 27 BC. its first emperor was Augustus, and its last, Romulus Augustulus, was overthrown in 476 (although the Eastern Roman Empire lasted another 977 years).

1. Istanbul
Founded: 660 BC




As noted above, the Eastern Roman Empire, with its capital in the city of Constantinople - now known as Istanbul, continued to exist until 1453. Constantinople was captured by the Turks, who founded the Ottoman Empire in its place. The Ottoman Empire lasted until 1923, when the Turkish Republic was created and the Sultanate was abolished. To this day, both Roman and Ottoman artifacts can be seen in Istanbul, the most significant of which is probably the Hagia Sophia. Originally a church, it was converted into a mosque by the Islamic Ottomans, and with the formation of the republic it became a museum.

Absolutely every city has its own history, some of them are quite young, others have a history of several centuries, but there are also very ancient ones among them. Settlements that still exist today sometimes turn out to be terribly old. The age of the oldest cities helps to clarify historical research and archaeological excavations, on the basis of which the estimated dates of their formation are set. Perhaps the ranking presented contains the oldest city in the world, or maybe we don’t know anything about it yet.

1. Jericho, Palestine (ca. 10,000-9,000 BC)

The ancient city of Jericho is mentioned many times in biblical texts, however, there it is called the “city of palm trees”, although its name is translated from Hebrew differently - “moon city”. Historians believe that it arose as a settlement around 7,000 BC, but there are finds that indicate an older age - 9,000 BC. e. To put it another way, people settled here before the Ceramic Neolithic, during the Chalcolithic period.
Since ancient times, the city was at the intersection of military paths, which is why the Bible contains a description of its siege and miraculous capture. Jericho has changed hands many times, with its most recent transfer to modern-day Palestine occurring in 1993. Over the course of thousands of years, residents left the city more than once, however, then they certainly returned and reanimated its life. This "is located" the eternal City» 10 kilometers from the Dead Sea, and tourists constantly flock to its attractions. Here, for example, was the courtyard of King Herod the Great.

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2. Damascus, Syria (10,000-8,000 BC)

Not far from Jericho there is another patriarch among the cities, not much, if not not, inferior to him in age - Damascus. The Arab medieval historian Ibn Asakir wrote that after the Flood, the Damascus wall was the first to appear. He believed that this city arose 4,000 BC. The first real historical data about Damascus dates back to the 15th century BC. e., at that time Egyptian pharaohs ruled here. From the 10th to the 8th centuries BC. e. it was the capital of the Damascus kingdom, after which it passed from one kingdom to another until in 395 it became part of the Byzantine Empire. After the Apostle Paul visited Damascus in the first century, the first followers of Christ appeared here. Damascus is now the capital of Syria and the second largest city in the country after Aleppo.

3. Byblos, Lebanon (7,000-5,000 BC)

The ancient city of the Phoenicians, Byblos (Gebal, Gubl) is located 32 km from Beirut on the Mediterranean coast. There is still a city in this place, but it is called Jabel. In ancient times, Byblos was a major seaport, through which, in particular, papyrus was transported to Greece from Egypt, which the Hellenes called “byblos” because of this, which is why they called Gebal that way. It is reliably known that Gebal existed already 4,000 BC. e. It stood near the sea on a well-protected hill, and below there were two bays with harbors for ships. A fertile valley stretched around the city, and a little further from the sea, mountains covered with dense forest began.
People noticed such an attractive place a long time ago and settled here during the early Neolithic. But when the Phoenicians arrived, the locals for some reason abandoned their inhabited places, so the newcomers did not even have to fight for them. As soon as they settled in a new place, the Phoenicians immediately surrounded the settlement with a wall. Later, in its center, near the source, they built two temples to the main deities: one to the mistress Baalat-Gebal, and the second to the god Reshef. Since then, the story of Gebal has become completely reliable.

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4. Susa, Iran (6,000-4,200 BC)

In modern Iran, in the province of Khuzestan, there is one of the oldest cities on the planet - Susa. There is a version that its name comes from the Elamite word “susan” (or “shushun”), meaning “lily”, since these places abounded in these flowers. The first signs of habitation here date back to the seventh millennium BC. e., and during excavations ceramics from the fifth millennium BC were discovered. e. A well-established settlement was formed here around the same time.
Susa is spoken of in ancient Sumerian cuneiform writings, as well as in later texts Old Testament and other sacred books. Susa was the capital of the Elamite kingdom until its capture by the Assyrians. In 668, after a fierce battle, the city was plundered and burned, and 10 years later the Elamite state disappeared. Ancient Susa had to endure destruction and bloody massacres many times, but it was certainly later restored. Now the city is called Shush, it is inhabited by about 65 thousand Jews and Muslims.

5. Sidon, Lebanon (5500 BC)

Now this city on the Mediterranean coast is called Saida and is the third largest in Lebanon. The Phoenicians founded it and made it their capital. Sidon was a significant Mediterranean trading port, which has partially survived to this day, being perhaps the oldest such structure. During its history, Sidon was part of different states many times, but was always considered an impregnable city. Nowadays it is inhabited by 200 thousand inhabitants.

6. Faiyum, Egypt (4000 BC)

In the El Fayoum oasis in Middle Egypt, surrounded by the sands of the Libyan Desert, lies the ancient city of El Fayoum. The Yusuf Canal was dug from the Nile to it. In the entire Egyptian kingdom it was the most ancient city. This area became known mainly for the reason that the so-called “Fayum portraits” were once discovered here. The Fayum, then called Shedet, which means “sea,” was a frequent site for the pharaohs of the 12th Dynasty, as evidenced by the remains of temples and artifacts discovered here by Flinders Petrie.
Shedet was later called Crocodilopolis, “City of Reptiles,” because its inhabitants worshiped the crocodile-headed god Sebek. Modern Fayoum has several mosques, baths, large bazaars and a lively daily market. Residential buildings here line the Yusuf Canal.

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7. Plovdiv, Bulgaria (4000 BC)

Within the boundaries of modern Plovdiv, the first settlements appeared in the Neolithic era, approximately 6000 BC. e. it turns out that Plovdiv is one of the oldest cities in Europe. 1200 BC e. there was a Phoenician settlement here - Eumolpia. In the 4th century BC. e. the city was called Odrys, as confirmed by bronze coins of that period. From the 6th century, Slavic tribes began to control it; later it entered the Bulgarian kingdom and changed its name to Pyldin. Over the following centuries, the city passed from the Bulgarians to the Byzantines and back more than once, until it was captured by the Ottomans in 1364. Now the city has many historical and architectural monuments and other cultural sites that attract many tourists to Plovdiv.

8. Antep, Turkey (3650 BC)

Gaziantep is the oldest Turkish city, and there are not many peers in the world. It is located near the Syrian border. Until 1921, the city bore the more ancient name Antep, and the Turks decided to add the prefix “gazi” to it, meaning “brave”. In the early Middle Ages, participants of the Crusades passed through Antep. When the Ottomans took possession of the city, they began to build inns and mosques here, turning it into a shopping center. Now, in addition to Turks, Arabs and Kurds live in the city, and the total population is 850 thousand people. Many foreign tourists come to Gaziantep every year to see the ruins ancient city, bridges, museums and numerous attractions.

9. Beirut, Lebanon (3000 BC)

According to some sources, Beirut appeared 5,000 years ago, according to others - all 7,000. Over its centuries-old history, it could not avoid numerous destructions, but each time it found the strength to rise from the ashes. In the capital of modern Lebanon, archaeological excavations are constantly underway, thanks to which many artifacts of the Phoenicians, Hellenes, Romans, Ottomans and other temporary owners of the city were discovered. The first mention of Beirut dates back to the 15th century BC. e. in Phoenician records where it is called Barut. But this settlement existed one and a half thousand years before that.
It appeared on a large rocky cape, approximately in the middle coastal strip belonging to modern Lebanon. Perhaps the name of the city comes from ancient word"Birot" which means "well". For many centuries it was inferior in importance to its more powerful neighbors - Sidon and Tire, but in the ancient period its influence increased. There was a famous school of law here, which even developed the main tenets of the Justinian Code, that is, Roman law, which became the basis of the European legal system. Now the Lebanese capital is a famous tourist destination.

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10. Jerusalem, Israel (2800 BC)

This city is perhaps the most famous in the world, since there are holy places of monotheism - Jews, Christians and Muslims. Therefore, it is called the “city of three religions” and the “city of peace” (less successfully). The very first settlement arose here in the period 4500-3500 BC. e. The earliest known written mention of him (ca. 2000 BC) is contained in the Egyptian “curse texts.” Canaanites 1,700 BC e. They built the first walls of the city on the eastern side. Jerusalem's role in human history cannot be overstated. It is literally overloaded with historical and religious buildings; the Holy Sepulcher and the Al-Aqsa Mosque are located here. Jerusalem was besieged 23 times, and attacked another 52 times, twice it was destroyed and rebuilt, but life in it is still in full swing.

Population globe began to settle in cities since ancient times. There are still cities on our planet that were founded several thousand years ago. And, what is most surprising, not all of them can be called extinct - life is in full swing in many of them. Of course, such cities have a lot to see for tourists - amazing sights, sacred places and an atmosphere of history make them very attractive.

1. Jericho (Palestine).

Estimated year of foundation: 9000 BC The most ancient of the existing cities. Archaeologists have found the remains of 20 settlements of Jericho, which are more than 11,000 years old. The city is founded on the west bank of the Jordan River. Now about 20,000 people live here.

2. Byblos (Lebanon).

Founded: 5000 BC The city, founded by the Phoenicians under the name "Gebal", received its current name from the Greeks, who imported papyrus here. The word "Bible" has the same root as the toponym "Biblo". The city's main tourist attractions include the Phoenician temples, the Fortress of Byblos and the Church of St. John the Baptist, built by the Crusaders in the 12th century, as well as the old medieval city wall. International festival Bybla attracts many performers here.

3. Aleppo (Syria).

Founded: 4300 BC The most populous city in Syria, home to about 4.4 million people, was founded under the name "Aleppo" around 4300 BC. On the ancient site of the city there are modern residential and administrative buildings, so almost no archaeological excavations have been carried out here. Before 800 BC the city belonged to the Hittites, then to the Assyrians, Greeks and Persians. Later, Romans, Byzantines and Arabs lived here. Aleppo was conquered by the Crusaders in the Middle Ages, then by the Mongols and the Ottoman Empire.

4. Damascus (Syria).

Founded: 4300 BC Damascus, which some sources call the oldest inhabited city on earth, may have been inhabited by people as early as 10,000 BC, although this fact is considered controversial. After the arrival of the Arameans, who laid out the network of canals that still form the basis of modern water supply, the city became an important settlement. Damascus was conquered by the army of Alexander the Great, it was owned by the Romans, Arabs and Turks. Today, the abundance of historical attractions makes the capital of Syria popular among tourists.

5. Susa (Iran).

Founded: 4200 BC Susa was the capital of the Elamite Empire and was later conquered by the Assyrians. Then they came into the possession of the Persian royal dynasty Ahmenids during the reign of Cyrus the Great. This is where the action of Aeschylus's tragedy "The Persians" takes place. oldest play throughout the history of the theater. About 65,000 people live in the modern city of Shusha.

6. Fayoum (Egypt).

Founded: 4000 BC Fayoum, located southwest of Cairo, forms part of Crocodilopolis, an ancient Egyptian city where the god Sebek, depicted with the head of a crocodile, was revered. In modern Fayoum you can find several large bazaars, mosques and baths. Near the city are the pyramids of Lehin and Hawara.

7. Sidon (Lebanon).

Founded: 4000 BC South of Beirut is Sidon, one of the most important and possibly oldest Phoenician cities. From here the great Mediterranean empire of the Phoenicians began to grow. They say that Sidon was visited by Jesus Christ and the Apostle Paul. Alexander the Great captured the city in 333 BC.

8. Plovdiv (Bulgaria).

Founded: 4000 BC Plovdiv, the second largest city in Bulgaria, was originally a Thracian settlement and later became an important Roman city. Later it passed into the hands of the Byzantines and Turks, and then became part of Bulgaria. The city is important cultural center, it boasts numerous ancient monuments, including a Roman amphitheater and aqueduct, as well as Turkish baths.

9. Gaziantep (Türkiye).

Founded: 3650 BC Founded in southern Turkey, near the Syrian border, Gaziantep's history dates back to Hittite times. The Ravanda fortress, restored by the Byzantines in the 6th century, is located in the city center. Fragments of Roman mosaics were also found here.

10. Beirut (Lebanon).

Founded: 3000 BC Lebanon's capital, as well as its cultural, administrative and economic center, boasts a rich history dating back some 5,000 years. Excavations on the territory of the city made it possible to find Phoenician, ancient Greek, Roman, Arab and Turkish artifacts. The city was mentioned in the messages of the Egyptian pharaoh back in the 14th century. BC. After graduation civil war in Lebanon, Beirut has become a vibrant, modern destination, ideal for tourists.

11. Jerusalem (Israel).

Founded: 2800 BC Spiritual center Jews and the third holy city of Muslims - the location of several key attractions that mean a lot to believers. Among them are the Dome of the Rock, the Western Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and the Al-Aqsa Mosque. For long history the city was captured 23 times, attacked 52 times, besieged 44 times and destroyed twice.

12. Tire (Lebanon).

Founded: 2750 BC Tire, according to legend, is the birthplace of Europe. It was founded around 2750 BC, according to Herodotus. In 332 BC. The city was conquered by Alexander the Great after a seven-month siege. In 64 BC. Tire became a Roman province. Today, the main industry of the legendary city is tourism: the Roman Hippodrome in Tire is included in the list World Heritage UNESCO.

13. Erbil (Iraq).

Founded: 2300 BC North of Kirkuk is Erbil, in different eras belonged to the Assyrians, Persians, Sasanians, Arabs and Turks. Erbil was an important settlement on the Great Silk Road, and its ancient fortress, rising 26 meters above the ground, still dominates the city landscape.

14. Kirkuk (Iraq).

Founded: 2200 BC Kirkuk, located north of Baghdad, stands on the site of the ancient Assyrian capital of Arrapha. The strategic importance of the settlement was recognized by the inhabitants of Babylon and Media, who controlled the city. The ruins of the 5,000-year-old fortress can still be explored. The city itself is now home to many Iraqi oil companies.

15. Balkh (Afghanistan).

Founded: 1500 BC Balkh, called Bactra by the ancient Greeks, is located in Northern Afghanistan. The Arabs call it "the mother of cities." The city reached its heyday in 2500 - 1900. BC, even before the rise of the Persian and Median empires. Modern Balkh is the capital of the region's textile industry.

16.Athens (Greece).

Founded: 1400 BC Athens, cradle Western civilization and the birthplace of democracy, are popular among tourists. Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Turkish monuments can be seen here, and the city's heritage is recognized throughout the world as the greatest.

17. Larnaca (Cyprus).

Founded: 1400 BC Larnaca, founded by the Phoenicians under the name "Sitium", is famous for its wonderful palm tree-lined promenade. Archaeological sites and numerous beaches attract many tourists.

18. Thebes (Greece).

Founded: 1400 BC Thebes, the main "rival" of Athens, led the confederation of Boethius and even assisted Xerxes during the Persian invasion (480 BC). Archaeological excavations have shown that before the founding of the city there was a Mycenaean settlement here. Today Thebes is primarily a trading city.

19. Cadiz (Spain).

Year founded: 1100 BC Cadiz, built on a narrow piece of land near the Atlantic Ocean, dates back to the 18th century. is the main city of the Spanish fleet. It was founded by the Phoenicians as a small trading post. Around 500 BC the city went to the Carthaginians, from here Hannibal began the conquest of Iberia. Cadiz was then ruled by the Romans and Moors, and during the years of the Great Geographical Discoveries it reached its peak.

20. Varanasi (India).

Founded: 1000 BC Varanasi, also known as Benares, is located on the western bank of the Ganges and is a significant holy city for both Hindus and Buddhists. According to legend, it was founded by the Hindu god Shiva 5,000 years ago, although modern scholars believe that the city is about 3,000 years old.

Among the other most ancient cities in Europe, we also note Lisbon (about 1000 BC), Rome (753 BC), Corfu (about 700 BC) and Mantua (about 500 BC).

Many ancient cities lay claim to the right to be called the first city on Earth. We will talk about the two oldest and most ancient cities, according to archaeologists and historians. These two cities are Jericho and Hamukar. These cities existed thousands of years ago.

Jericho

First of all, the definition of “ancient city” refers to Jericho, an oasis near the place where the Jordan River flows into the Dead Sea. The city of Jericho, widely known in the Bible, is located here - the same one whose walls once fell from the sound of the trumpets of Joshua.

According to biblical tradition, the Israelites began the conquest of Canaan from Jericho and, after the death of Moses, under the leadership of Joshua, crossing the Jordan, they stood at the walls of this city. The townspeople, hiding behind the city walls, were convinced that the city was impregnable. But the Israelis used an extraordinary military stratagem. They walked around the city walls in a silent crowd six times, and on the seventh they shouted in unison and blew the trumpets, so loudly that the formidable walls collapsed. This is where the expression comes from "Trumpet of Jericho".

Jericho is fed by the water of the powerful spring Ain es-Sultan ( "The Sultan's Source"), to which the city owes its existence. The Arabs call the name of this source a hill north of modern Jericho - Tell es-Sultan ( "Sultan's Mountain"). Already at the end XIX century it attracted the attention of archaeologists and is still considered one of the most important sites for archaeological finds of objects from the early historical period.

In 1907 and 1908, a group of German and Austrian researchers, led by Professors Ernst Sellin and Karl Watzinger, first began excavations at Mount Sultana. They came across two parallel fortress walls, built from sun-dried bricks. The outer wall had a thickness of 2 m and a height of 8-10 m, and the thickness of the inner wall reached 3.5 m.

Archaeologists have determined that these walls were built between 1400 and 1200 BC. It is clear that they were quickly identified with those walls that, as the Bible reports, collapsed from the powerful sounds of the trumpets of the Israelite tribes. However, during the excavations, archaeologists came across the remains of construction debris, which were of even greater interest to science than the finds that confirmed the Bible’s information about the war. But the first World War suspended further scientific research.

More than twenty years passed before a group of Englishmen, led by Professor John Garstang, was able to continue their research. New excavations began in 1929 and lasted about ten years.

In 1935-1936 Garstang encountered the lowest layers of Stone Age settlements.

He discovered a cultural layer older than the 5th millennium BC, dating back to a time when people did not yet know pottery. But people of this era already led a sedentary lifestyle.

The work of Garstang's expedition was interrupted due to the difficult political situation. And only after the end of World War II did English archaeologists return to Jericho. This time the expedition was led by Dr. Kathleen M. Canyon, with whose activities all further discoveries in this the oldest city peace. To participate in the excavations, the British invited German anthropologists who had been working in Jericho for several years.

In 1953, archaeologists led by Kathleen Canyon managed to make an outstanding discovery that completely changed our understanding of early history humanity. Researchers made their way through 40 (!) cultural layers and discovered buildings of the Neolithic period with huge buildings dating back to the time when, it would seem, only nomadic tribes should have lived on Earth, earning their food by hunting and collecting plants and fruits. The results of excavations showed that approximately 10 thousand years ago a qualitative leap was made in the eastern Mediterranean associated with the transition to the artificial cultivation of cereals. This led to drastic changes in culture and lifestyle.

The discovery of early agricultural Jericho was an archeological sensation in the 1950s. Systematic excavations here revealed a whole series of successive layers, united into two complexes: Pre-ceramic Neolithic A (8th millennium BC) and Pre-ceramic Neolithic B (7th millennium BC).

Today, Jericho A is considered the first urban settlement discovered in the Old World. Here are found the earliest permanent structures known to science, burials and sanctuaries, built from earth or small round unbaked bricks.

The pre-ceramic Neolithic settlement A occupied an area of ​​about 4 hectares and was surrounded by a powerful defensive wall made of stone. Adjacent to it was a massive round stone tower. Initially, researchers assumed that this was a tower of a fortress wall. But obviously, it was a special-purpose structure that combined many functions, including the function of a guard post for monitoring the surrounding area.

Protected by a stone wall, there were round, tent-like houses on stone foundations with walls made of mud brick, one surface of which was convex (this type of brick is called "pork's back"). To more accurately determine the age of these structures, the latest scientific methods were used, such as the radiocarbon (radiocarbon) method.

Nuclear physicists, when studying isotopes, found that it is possible to determine the age of objects by the ratio of radioactive and stable carbon isotopes. Through sounding, it was found that the oldest walls of this city date back to the 8th millennium, that is, their age is approximately 10 thousand years. The sanctuary discovered as a result of excavations was even more ancient - 9551 BC.

There is no doubt that Jericho A, with its settled population and developed construction industry, was one of the first early agricultural settlements on Earth. Based on many years of research conducted here, historians have received absolutely new picture 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 local population from simple gathering of edible grains 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 assets, attracting the greedy gaze of 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 Dead Sea- salt, bitumen and sulfur. Obsidian, jade and diorite from Anatolia, turquoise from the Sinai Peninsula, cowrie shells from the Red Sea were found in Jericho - all these goods were highly valued during the Neolithic period.

The fact that Jericho was a powerful urban center is evidenced by its defensive fortifications. Without the use of picks and hoes, a ditch 8.5 m wide and 2.1 m deep was cut into the rock. Behind the ditch rose a stone wall 1.64 m thick, preserved at a height of 3.94 m. Its original height probably reached 5 m , and above there was a masonry of mud bricks.

The excavations revealed a large round stone tower with a diameter of 7 m, preserved to a height of 8.15 m, with an internal staircase carefully constructed from single meter-wide stone slabs. The tower contained grain storage and clay-lined cisterns to collect rainwater.

The stone tower of Jericho was probably built in beginning of VIII millennium BC and lasted for a very long time. When it ceased to be used for its intended purpose, crypts for burials began to be built in its internal passage, and the former storage facilities were used as dwellings. These rooms were often rebuilt. One of them, destroyed in a fire, dates back to 6935 BC

After this, archaeologists counted four more periods of existence in the history of the tower, and then the city wall collapsed and began to erode. Apparently, the city was already deserted at this time.

The construction of a powerful defensive system required an enormous amount of labor, the use of a significant workforce and the presence of some kind of central authority to organize and direct the work. Researchers estimate the population of this first city in the world 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 down to our time. Here, in Jericho, scientists apparently encountered one of the earliest manifestations of this cult.

During this “pre-ceramic” period, the inhabitants of Jericho did not use earthenware - they replaced it with stone vessels, carved mainly from limestone. Probably, the townspeople also used all kinds of wickerwork and leather containers like wineskins.

Not knowing how to sculpt pottery, the ancient inhabitants of Jericho at the same time sculpted animal figures and other images from clay. In residential buildings and tombs of Jericho, many clay figurines of animals were found, as well as stucco images of the phallus. Cult masculinity was widespread in ancient Palestine, its images are also 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 there were stucco figures 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 of high 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.

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 - “ 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 the compilation detailed map terrain. 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 Big 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. It was divided into sections of five square meters And they carefully “shoveled” all the earth. Archaeologists have discovered houses here with perfectly preserved clay walls. And inside there were a huge amount of things for a long time days gone by- all covered with a thick layer of ash. This created great difficulties for scientists: try to find burnt fragments in the cracks of the floors, in various irregularities and holes.

Soon the sources of such abundant ash were found - in one room the remains of four or five slabs made of clay bars, which were partially burned when the stoves were heated, were excavated. Around the slabs there were remains of barley, wheat, oats, and animal bones. Therefore, power stoves are used for baking bread, brewing beer, cooking meat and other products.

The ceramics discovered here amazed scientists with their diversity: large pots for preparing ordinary food, small vessels, as well as small elegant vessels, the walls of which are equal to the thickness of an ostrich egg shell. Figurines with big eyes, perhaps some deities from the middle of the 4th millennium BC.

But still, 15 seals in the form of carefully drawn animals tell the most complete story about the society of that era. All of them were found in one hole, presumably a grave. Also found here were a huge number of beads made of bone, earthenware, stone and shells, some of them were so small in size that it can be assumed that they were not used as necklaces, but were woven or sewn into clothing.

The seals are carved from stone in the shape of animals. One of the largest and most beautiful seals is made in the form of a leopard, the spots on which are made using small pins inserted into drilled holes. A seal was also found, not inferior to a leopard print in beauty - in the form of a horned animal, which, unfortunately, the horns broke off. Large seals much more diverse, but they are much smaller than the small ones, the main types of which are lion, goat, bear, dog, hare, fish and birds. The larger, more elaborate seals must have belonged to people of great power or wealth, while the smaller ones may have been used by others to denote private property.

In a small pit two meters deep in the north-eastern part of the excavation, just below the surface, the researchers discovered a wall dating back to the 7th century. AD, and a meter lower - the corner of the building, strengthened by a support with two niches. The support was installed next to the door that leads to the east. The door jamb, buttress, niches and south wall are covered with lime. Typically, such supports with niches were installed not near private, but near temple buildings. Shards of pottery found near the temple point to the beginning of the 3rd millennium BC, that is, the Akkadian period, when the rulers of Akkad, a state in southern Mesopotamia, began expanding into what is now Syria. Since this is a critical period in the history of Mesopotamia, the place where so many eras are intertwined becomes the main focus of the expedition's forces in the next season.

Previously, historians assumed that the Syrian and Turkish states began to actively develop only after contact with representatives of Uruk, an ancient state in Southern Iraq. But the excavations of Hamukar prove that highly developed societies appeared not only in the Tigris-Euphrates valley, but also in other areas at the same time. Some researchers even believe that civilization originally began in Syria. The discovery actually changed traditional ideas about the emergence of cities and civilization in general, forcing us to consider its birth and spread at an earlier time.

While it was previously believed that civilization began in the Uruk period (ca. 4000 BC), there is now evidence of its existence as far back as the Ubaid period (ca. 4500 BC). This means that the development of the first states began before the advent of writing and other phenomena considered criteria for the emergence of civilization. Between different peoples Vital connections began to form, people exchanged experiences. Civilization began to march across the planet with leaps and bounds!

The excavations of Hamukara promise many more discoveries, because this is the only place where the layers of 4000 BC. lie two meters from the surface and even higher.

Based on materials from 100velikih.com and bibliotekar.ru

There are many cities in the world, but only a few of them can boast of a thousand-year history, where people have lived in one place since time immemorial. The earliest civilizations appeared in the territory of modern Iraq, northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey, southwestern Iran, Greece and India, where the first large settlements were formed. It is difficult for archaeologists to determine which city can bear the title of the oldest in the world, where people have lived continuously for centuries. Moreover, no precise definition, what exactly is considered a city, and even more so how to determine how long people “continuously” lived here. But still, meet ten of the oldest cities in the world that have stood the test of time and were not wiped off the face of the earth.

10. Beirut, Lebanon

First settlement 3000 BC

The history of Bierut goes back more than 5,000 years. The city was founded by the Phoenicians, which became the cultural and political center of the region, where over several thousand years the Hellenes, Romans, Arabs and Ottomans managed to rule. Now Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, home to 1.9 million people.

9. Delhi, India

Delhi was founded by the legendary ruler Panda, the first of the Mahabharata lineage, around 3650 BC. e., but until this is scientifically proven, everything is based more on myths and legends. Although it seems that archaeologists managed to dig up pottery and find the remains of a settlement that confirm the founding date of the city. The city, which occupies a strategic position, was destroyed and plundered several times, but each and every one was restored. Today Delhi is the capital of India, one of the largest metropolises in the world, where 13 million people live.

8. Gaziantep, Türkiye

First settlement 3650 BC

The city is located in southern Turkey on the border with Syria. The city was founded by the Hittites, which passed from hand to hand to the Assyrians, Persians, Romans, Byzantines, and Seljuks. In 18183, the city was captured by Turkish tribes, which marked the beginning of the heyday of the city, which became a major trading center located on the Silk Road. Today, Gaziantep has a population of 1.3 million and is the sixth most populous city in Turkey.

7. Athens, Greece

Athens is the very embodiment of history, which became the cradle of Western civilization, where many ancient philosophers were born and worked, the names of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle alone are worth it. The first human settlements found by archaeologists date back to 4000 BC. Today it is the capital of Greece, where about 650 thousand people live, the main attraction of which is the Acropolis.

6. Sidon, Lebanon

First settlement 4000 BC

Sidon is located 40 kilometers from the Lebanese capital Beirut and 40 kilometers from Tire. The city was founded by the Phoenicians, becoming the capital of one of the most powerful states of its time. Sindon was one of the largest trading centers in the Mediterranean, and its seaport is one of the oldest man-made structures, partially preserved to this day. The city changed hands many times, having been part of many empires and states, and was considered one of the most impregnable cities. Now 200 thousand people live here,

5. Plovdiv, Bulgaria

First settlement 4000 BC

Plovdiv, formerly known as Philippopolis, is one of the oldest cities in Europe. Here, archaeologists have found settlements with Neolithic pottery dating back approximately 40,000 BC. The city has a thousand-year history, becoming one of the gates to the Balkans, having been under the rule of the Thracians, Romans, Byzantines and Ottomans. Now Plovdiv is the second largest city in Bulgaria, where slightly less than 350 thousand people live.

4. Aleppo, Syria

First settlement 4300 BC

One of the oldest cities in the world, Aleppo was founded in approximately 4300 BC and was located in a very favorable location at the intersection of many trade routes; life here has not subsided for several thousand years. The city was founded by the Hittites, who controlled it until 800 BC, after which it was ruled by the Assyrians, Greeks, Persians, Romans, and was conquered by the Crusaders, Mongols and Ottomans. Aleppo is now the capital and largest city of Syria, home to more than 2.4 million people and experiencing a renaissance, developing at a breakneck pace.

3. Byblos or Byblos, Lebanon

First settlement 5000 BC

One of the largest trading ports of antiquity, through which timber, wine, olive oil were exported, and was especially famous for papyrus. By the way, from the name of this city, the words “biblio” were borrowed into many European languages. Over many centuries, Byblos has been part of many empires, kingdoms and states, there have been great ups and downs, now the city is called Bint Jubail where about 30,000 people live and serves as a stronghold for Hezbollah from where they will launch their attacks on Israel.

2. Damascus, Syria

First settlement 6300 BC

The city was founded by the Arameans, who created a network of canals that continue to be used today. The first settlement appeared here around 6300 BC, and Big City formed here only by 2000 BC. The city was part of many great kingdoms and empires of its time, it was repeatedly destroyed to the ground, and its inhabitants were brutally slaughtered. Damascus is now the capital and second largest city of Syria, home to 1.75 million people.

1. Jericho, Palestna

First settlement 9000 BC

Jericho is the oldest city in the world, having seen the rise and fall of great civilizations and empires, where people have lived all this time. In ancient times, it was a thriving city, a center of trade and agriculture, it was even called the “City of Palms,” which is mentioned more than once in the Bible. Now only 20,000 people live here.