Jericho - The First City on Earth? // Ancient History Documentary
History Time・2 minutes read
Uruk and Jericho were significant ancient cities with long histories of habitation and communal living, showcasing early urban development and social organization through structures like walls, towers, and religious sites. While Jericho's Neolithic tower may have had religious and societal functions, the city experienced technological advancements and societal changes over millennia, eventually reaching its peak during the Bronze Age before facing a decline.
Insights
- Jericho, one of the oldest cities on earth, had a continuous water supply, enabling its growth and development as a thriving town for over 11,000 years, challenging previous assumptions about its age and significance.
- The construction of Jericho's Neolithic tower around 10,000 years ago, requiring 11,000 days of labor, exemplifies a highly organized society in the pre-pottery Neolithic era, potentially serving a religious function and showcasing early communal structures.
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Recent questions
What is the significance of Jericho in ancient history?
Jericho, one of the oldest cities on earth, played a crucial role in the development of communal living and large-scale labor. With a continuous water supply, Jericho thrived as a town dating back 11,000 years, showcasing early signs of societal organization and urban planning. Excavations by archaeologists like Kathleen Kenyon in 1951 revealed layers of habitation dating back 8,000 years, shedding light on the city's long history and importance in understanding the Neolithic era.
What was the purpose of Jericho's Neolithic tower?
Jericho's Neolithic tower, constructed around 10,000 years ago, is believed to have served a religious function, possibly linked to the worship of the mother goddess or male animalistic deities. The tower lacked evidence of pottery, bones, or burials, suggesting a religious or observational purpose. It may have facilitated sky observations, acting as both an observatory and temple, possibly built on a raised platform to commune with the heavens.
How did the Neolithic Revolution impact Jericho?
The Neolithic Revolution in the Fertile Crescent around 9,000 BC marked a significant shift for Jericho, leading to the adoption of farming, animal domestication, and communal living. This transition brought about societal changes, including the development of agriculture, independent food production, and the adoption of pottery for better food storage. Jericho's society likely became socially undifferentiated, organized by kinship groups rather than profession or class, contributing to population growth and urban development.
What technological advancements occurred in Jericho during the Copper Age?
Metallurgy, introduced around 4000 BC during the Copper Age, marked a significant technological advancement in Jericho. This period saw the development of metalworking techniques, leading to the production of copper tools and artifacts. The rise of metallurgy in Jericho reflected advancements in craftsmanship and technology, shaping the city's material culture and technological landscape during this era.
What led to the collapse of Jericho around 2300 BC?
By the Bronze Age, Jericho's population peaked around 2600 BC, with the construction of an impressive palace complex and defensive ramparts. However, various factors contributed to the city's collapse around 2300 BC, including environmental changes, conflicts, and shifts in power dynamics. The decline of Jericho marked the end of a significant era in the city's history, highlighting the complexities of urban development and societal changes in ancient civilizations.
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Summary
00:00
"Earliest Cities and Societal Evolution Revealed"
- Uruk, the largest city in the world 6,000 years ago, had a population of 50,000 in modern-day Iraq.
- The city of Uruk was enclosed by a mud brick wall built by King Gilgamesh, part of a long history of settlements dating back to the Stone Age.
- Jericho, one of the first cities on earth, was surrounded by walls 5,000 years ago, showing early signs of communal living and large-scale labor.
- Jericho, unlike other sites, has a continuous water supply, making it a thriving town with a history dating back 11,000 years.
- Kathleen Kenyon, an archaeologist, excavated Jericho in 1951, challenging previous conclusions about the site's age and biblical connections.
- Jericho's tel s Sultan, a man-made hill from collapsed mud brick architecture, revealed layers of habitation dating back 8,000 years.
- Jericho's Neolithic tower, built around 10,000 years ago, was a significant communal structure, possibly used for religious or ceremonial purposes.
- The tower's construction required around 11,000 days of labor, showcasing a highly organized and motivated society in the pre-pottery Neolithic era.
- Jericho was part of a larger trading network in the Fertile Crescent, where agriculture and communal living began around 11,000 years ago.
- The Neolithic Revolution in the Fertile Crescent around 9,000 BC marked the adoption of farming, animal domestication, and communal living, leading to significant societal changes.
22:18
Early Tower at Jericho: Religious Observatory or Temple?
- Jericho's tower is believed to have served a religious function, possibly linked to a cult of the mother goddess or male animalistic deities.
- The tower lacks evidence of pottery, bones, or burials, suggesting a religious or observational purpose.
- The tower may have facilitated sky observations, serving as both an observatory and temple.
- Similar to later shrines, the tower could have been built on a raised platform to commune with the heavens.
- At Chatal Hoyuk, priest-kings controlled city life, possibly similar to Jericho's shamanistic priest-kings.
- In 1999, a team found five towers at Tell Qaramel in Syria, possibly dating back to 10,000 BC, contemporary with Gobekli Tepe.
- Jericho's tower may have had both religious and societal functions, uniting the region's people.
- The tower is too early to be linked to the Bible and may have been built to defend against natural floods.
- Jericho's inhabitants lived in round houses, practiced agriculture, and had independent food production.
- Jericho's society was likely socially undifferentiated, possibly organized by kinship groups rather than profession or class.
44:51
Jericho's Rise and Fall in History
- During the Neolithic period, the adoption of pottery allowed for better food storage, leading to population growth in groups.
- Metallurgy, introduced around 4000 BC, marked a significant technological advancement during the Copper Age.
- Jericho, gradually occupied permanently around 4000 BC, saw the rise of the casue Lea material culture.
- By 3000 BC, Jericho saw definitive occupation by a regional power, leading to the construction of defensive ramparts and an army.
- The Bronze Age saw Jericho's population peak around 2600 BC, with the construction of an impressive palace complex, followed by a collapse around 2300 BC due to various factors.
