The Neolithic Era began between six to twelve thousands years ago, when our ancestors discovered that instead of hunting and gathering, they could live in one place by domesticating plants and animals. The discovery opened the door to a new future for the human species. It began the period of agriculture, metallurgy, and pottery, causing the development of urban life and the growth of the human population. Possibly the first urban settlement was the city of Jericho.1
Jericho is the oldest known city, and today it is known as “The City of Palm Trees.” When one drives through the desert near Jericho, one will come to an oasis and to fertile soil. It is located 900 feet below sea level in the northern part of the Dead Sea, one of the lowest points in the world. Even though that Jericho is currently located in a desert, ten thousand years ago the neolithic village of Jericho was able to grab its water from the mountains of Moab and Gilead, which were 2500 feet above sea level and close to the village. The water would go through underground tunnels to the village, which then used the water for what was probably the first irrigation system in history. Also, the fresh water that came from the mountains gave the village’s fertile farm lands ample water for growing grain, feeding domesticated animals like sheep, goats, and dogs, as well as providing water for the palm tree groves. For its day, Jericho became a most prosperous village, and the only such village in the world.2
Jericho was not only the first of its kind, but also the strongest village in the land. Because of its unique location, it had two important routes: one was to the lands east of the city and the other one to the desert behind it, to the Palestinian coast. The village was also notable for its early pre-pottery settlement (8500-7000 BCE), with buildings made of mud brick, and unique oval shaped walls, which surrounded the whole village to protect the five to thirty families that live in it from outsiders. Their houses and buildings seemed to be well developed with rooms and kitchens. The village of Jericho was built on top of a great mound that was about eighty feet high. Archaeologist have found towers as high as twenty five feet in the village, and various fortified walls, (the walls started from five to six feet high and increase over time) because the original village was never destroyed; the people, instead of destroying it by tearing it down, build another city on top of the previous one that was standing.3 Now, people live in Jericho. It is populated by Palestinians today, but it is also a place where archaeologist and tourist go to find out about the history of our past and about the beginning of the Neolithic Era.
- Kathleen M. Kenyon, “Excavations at Jericho,” The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland 84, no. 1/2 (1954): 105. ↵
- Kathleen M. Kenyon, “Excavations at Jericho,” The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland 84, no. 1/2 (1954): 103-5. ↵
- O. Bar-Yosef, “The Walls of Jericho: An Alternative Interpretation,” Current Anthropology 27, no. 2 (1986): 158. ↵
44 comments
Amanda Figueroa
For someone who has never heard of Jericho, this article gave all the necessary facts and background information to understand this time period and city. I enjoy how you explained well on how the people were able to get fresh water and therefore, farm lands and do much more. This article was well written and I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the oldest known city.
Amber Aragon Alvarado
This is the first I hear of Jericho. The article was able to give me the basic facts about the 1st city and to be quite honest, it left me wanting to know more about it. I think it’s amazing how the city is to this day still inhabited! I found it the most interesting that this village in the middle of the desert was able to create the world’s first irrigation system ever. Overall, I was able to grasp the basic historic concepts about Jericho, but I would have loved to read more about its land and the two crucial routes.
Zeresh Haman
I found it very interesting to read about Jericho in a different light. I have only heard about it through the story in the bible about Joshua and the wall of Jericho. Its amazing that it was actually the first city in all of human history. It was interesting to read about the uprising of this city and how it is still up and running today. I think that the city of Jericho is a very interesting and historic place.
Edward Cerna
I find this article really informative and I enjoyed reading it. I have recently just learned about this class and I really found the topic interesting. I enjoyed this article because it gave me even more information about Jericho. I find it so amazing that we have found settlements so old and that are a part of human history. It is amazing how archaeologists found towers 20 feet high and it is mind blowing to think of the architectural accomplishments they accomplished without modern equipment.
Thomas Fraire
To be honest I thought that this was a really rushed article, I fee like they should’ve expanded on the culture in Jericho. I mean its the 1st city ever recorded, it just felt really summarized, I don’t know maybe I was expecting to much. I think it was cool that it means the city of palm trees, I didn’t know it was so developed and people had like full on kitchens so that was cool.
Matthew Rios
A good read and straight to the point regarding Jericho. I think it’s fascinating how a small city like that came about at that time. Understanding how people began to allocate their time to different things after they became adept at cultivation and domestication is crucial to knowing how and why they operated the way they did. If humans never learned these skills, one could almost be certain mankind would not be where it is now.
Luke Trevino
I knew nothing of Jericho before this article! I would of never known Jericho was the first city if anyone asked me. What really blew my mind was their advanced technology. I loved how the water they had came from underground. I also loved how they learned to do everything on their own such as farming! Overall great great article would defiantly use this as a reference.
Bailey Rider
This was an cool article! I didn’t know before that Jericho was the first settled city and it was interesting to learn about how the water came underground to the city. It was also cool to learn about how they had their irrigation system that kept their farms and palm tree groves alive. It makes sense that they could settle in the city once they domesticated animals and learned to farm. Great well written article!
Natalia Zuniga
Intereesting article! I had heard of Jericho from theology but never really but so much thought into it because i though there was not trace to it today. It is interesting how much it location played into it being such an important and known city The aerial photograph of Jericho was great, as well as your cover panorama caught my attention. Great job!
Alyssa Vela
Honestly if someone would’ve asked me what the first city was yesterday I would not have said Jericho. Prior to reading this I didn’t know much about the first city, but after reading it I now have some better insight. I think it’s crazy how the first city still hasn’t been destroyed, but rather is still being inhabited today. I honestly feel as though better pictures to match description would’ve been a way better route, but overall this article was very insightful! Great job!