What is the history of settlement in Jericho?
Jericho has evidence of settlement dating back to 10,000 BC. During the Younger Dryas period of cold and drought, permanent habitation of any one location was impossible.
Why is Jericho the oldest city in the world?
Excavations have revealed that Jericho is one of the earliest settlements dating back to 9000 BCE. It also has the oldest known protective wall in the world. Continuing excavations have revealed stone towers which are even older. The reason for its earliest settlements are the springs which are found in and near the city.
How long has the wall of Jericho been around?
Over six thousand years and more, different civilizations made different uses of the wall, suiting it to their own needs and culture. Finally, around 1500 BCE, the age of the Israelites arrived, and the wall of Jericho began its slow metamorphosis from a thing of stone and earth into an object of pure myth.
What did the people of Jericho live in?
They lived in oval stone structures that were partially underground. By about 10,500 years ago, or around 8,500 BC, the people of Jericho had adopted agriculture and Jericho had become a major Neolithic settlement engaging in long distance trade. It was during this time that the famous tower of Jericho was built.
Did Jericho become a permanent settlement?
First Settlement Tell es-Sultan (Sultan's Hill), 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) north of modern-day Jericho, became the earliest permanent settlement. It was a Pre-Pottery Neolithic (New Stone Age) settlement. It is situated on the Ein as-Sultan spring (later called Elisha's Spring) supplying it with water.
Is Jericho a Neolithic settlement?
During the Pre- Pottery Neolithic A era (9th millennium BC), Jericho was the only fortified Neolithic town in the world unparalleled at any other contemporary site, as evidenced by a stone tower, walls, and a ditch.
Has Jericho always been a part of Israel?
Jericho has been occupied by Israel since the Six-Day War of 1967 along with the rest of the West Bank. It was the first city handed over to Palestinian Authority control in accordance with the Oslo Accords. The limited Palestinian self-rule of Jericho was agreed on in the Gaza–Jericho Agreement of 4 May 1994.
What kind of city was Jericho?
Commonly known as “the oldest city in the world,” Jericho is an important historical, cultural, and political center located northwest of the Dead Sea. The city is perhaps best known from the Biblical story of a great victory over its Canaanite citizens by the Israelite leader Joshua.
Who occupied Jericho before the Israelites?
the Natufian peopleThe most important affluent foragers in the story of Jericho were the Natufian people, who began occupying the western Fertile Crescent (present-day Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria) just over 14,000 years ago.
What made Jericho city different from other settlements of its time?
Jericho is thus one of the places providing evidence of very early agriculture. It is highly probable that, to provide enough land for cultivation, irrigation had been invented. This first Neolithic culture of Palestine was a purely indigenous development.
What is Jericho called today?
The proof is at Jericho — the real Jericho, not the storied place of the Bible but the historical site, known today as Tell es-Sultan (Hill of the Sultan), located in the modern-day West Bank. Not only the oldest city wall known to us, the ninth-millennium site is also by most estimates the oldest city, full stop.
What God did Jericho worship?
The city Jericho probably derives its name from the city's ancient tutelary god Yareakh, the moon god, who was very popular in the Ancient Near East.
Why is Jericho important in history?
The city's site is of great archaeological importance; it provides evidence of the first development of permanent settlements and thus of the first steps toward civilization.
What does the name Jericho mean?
city of moonOrigin:Arabic. Meaning:city of moon. Jericho is a gender-neutral name of Arabic origin. It translates from Arabic to mean “city of the moon.” Jericho has a wealth of historic roots, in Arabic, Hebrew, and Greek alike. For instance, in the Hebrew Bible, the Book of Joshua tells the story of the Battle of Jericho.
What did Jesus do at Jericho?
Each of the three Synoptic Gospels tells of Jesus healing the blind near Jericho, as he passed through that town, shortly before his passion.
Why was the wall of Jericho destroyed?
For six days Joshua marched his troops around the city, blowing rams' horns. On the seventh day, the tumult of their shouting and the rams' horns caused the wall to collapse. The Israelites then burned the city. Over the years, some scientists have theorized that the walls of Jericho were destroyed by an earthquake.
Is Jericho the oldest city in the world?
A small city with a population of 20,000 people, Jericho, which is located in the Palestine Territories, is believed to be the oldest city in the world. Indeed, some of the earliest archeological evidence from the area dates back 11,000 years.
Is catalhoyuk Neolithic?
Çatalhöyük (Turkish pronunciation: [tʃaˈtaɫhœjyc]; also Çatal Höyük and Çatal Hüyük; from Turkish çatal "fork" + höyük "tumulus") was a very large Neolithic and Chalcolithic proto-city settlement in southern Anatolia, which existed from approximately 7500 BC to 6400 BC, and flourished around 7000 BC.
What is Jericho called today?
The proof is at Jericho — the real Jericho, not the storied place of the Bible but the historical site, known today as Tell es-Sultan (Hill of the Sultan), located in the modern-day West Bank. Not only the oldest city wall known to us, the ninth-millennium site is also by most estimates the oldest city, full stop.
When was Jericho destroyed?
But Dr. Stager questioned the linkage of the archeological evidence for Jericho's destruction at about 1400 with the Israelites as the agents of that destruction.
How long has Jericho been around?
Archaeologists have unearthed the remains of more than 20 successive settlements in Jericho, the first of which dates back 11,000 years (9000 BCE), almost to the very beginning of the Holocene epoch of the Earth's history. Copious springs in and around the city have attracted human habitation for thousands of years.
Why was Jericho reoccupied?
In response to the 2001 Second Intifada and suicide bombings, Jericho was re-occupied by Israeli troops. A 2-metre (6 ft 7 in) deep trench was built around a large part of the city to control Palestinian traffic to and from Jericho.
What are the best places to visit in Jericho?
The archaeological sites in and near Jericho have a high potential for attracting tourists. These are dealt with in detail in the History and archaeology paragraph: 1 the Stone, Bronze and Iron Age cities at Tell es-Sultan 2 the Hasmonean and Herodian winter palaces at Tulul Abu el-'Alayiq 3 the Byzantine-period synagogues at Jericho ( Shalom Al Yisrael Synagogue) and Na'aran 4 the Umayyad palace at Khirbet al-Mafjar known as Hisham's Palace 5 the Crusader sugar production facility at Tawahin es-Sukkar (lit. "sugar mills") 6 Nabi Musa, the Mamluk and Ottoman shrine dedicated to Moses ("Prophet Musa" to the Muslims)
What happened to Jericho in the 70s?
After the fall of Jerusalem to Vespasian's armies in the Great Revolt of Judea in 70 CE, Jericho declined rapidly, and by 100 CE it was but a small Roman garrison town. A fort was built there in 130 and played a role in putting down the Bar Kochba revolt in 133.
What is Jericho surrounded by?
Jericho is a plain surrounded by a kind of mountainous country, which in a way, slopes toward it like a theatre. Here is the Phoenicon, which is mixed also with all kinds of cultivated and fruitful trees, though it consists mostly of palm trees. It is 100 stadia in length and is everywhere watered with streams.
What is the pre-pottery Neolithic divided into?
The Pre-Pottery Neolithic at Jericho is divided in Pre-Pottery Neolithic A and Pre-Pottery Neolithic B.
When was Jericho built?
Epipaleolithic construction at the site appears to predate the invention of agriculture, with the construction of Natufian culture structures beginning earlier than 9000 BCE, the beginning of the Holocene epoch in geologic history. Jericho has evidence of settlement dating back to 10,000 BCE.
Why was Jericho the first settlement?
The reason for its earliest settlements are the springs which are found in and near the city. These springs supply the area with enough water to sustain a large population. We are going to cover the settlement of Jericho from its earliest beginnings until The Battle of Jericho in the Bible. Walls of Jericho.
When did Jericho become a walled town?
These settlements were still Neolithic, but there is evidence that they were producing pottery. It became a walled town again at the end of the 4th millennium BCE.
What is the only thing amiss about the earthquake?
They state that the only thing amiss is the dating in the Bible and that the earthquake was God rewarding the Israelites for following his commands. According to the Bible, Jericho remained abandoned until Hiel the Bethelite established himself there in the 9th century BCE.
What is the city of Jericho in the Bible?
Listen to this article. X. The city of Jericho is remembered for the story in the Book of Joshua in the Bible regarding its destruction by the Israelites. Excavations have revealed that Jericho is one of the earliest settlements dating back to 9000 BCE. It also has the oldest known protective wall in the world.
What did the burned wood at Jericho suggest?
Charred wood found at the site suggests that the remains of the city were burned. Buried food supplies also suggest that it was not captured following a siege. It remained unoccupied until the late 10th century or early 9th century BCE when it was rebuilt. The Israelites Capture Jericho.
What was the first city attacked by the Israelites?
The Israelites & The Battle of Jericho. According to the Bible, at around 1,400 BCE, Jericho was the first city attacked by the Israelites after they crossed the Jordan River and entered Canaan. The Wall of Jericho was destroyed when the Israelites walked around it for seven days carrying the Ark of the Covenant.
When did the Canaanites take over Jericho?
It was taken over by the Canaanites in 1900 BCE and reached its greatest prominence between 1700 BCE and 1550 BCE. This was due to the rise of aristocrats that utilized chariots called the Maryannu in the Mitannite state to the north. Their rise caused a greater urbanization in the surrounding area, including Jericho.
Getting To Jericho And Complications
Today Jericho is a Palestinian city located in the West Bank governed by the Palestinian National Authority.
Bethlehem and Jericho Day Tour
This guided tour takes visitors to both Bethlehem (where Jesus is said to have been born) and Jericho. The tour is offered in English, French, Spanish, and German and includes entrance fees.
Bethlehem, Jericho, and Jordan River Tour
Another option is the Bethlehem, Jericho, and Jordan River Tour, it is similar to the one above and also offers an expert tour guide (in English only). This visits three of the region's most interesting destinations.
When was Jericho first occupied?
However, the oldest occupations at Jericho are in fact much earlier than that, dating to the Natufian period (ca. 12,000–11,300 years before the present), and it has a substantial Pre-Pottery Neolithic (8,300–7,300 B.C.E.) occupation as well.
What is Jericho in the Bible?
Jericho, also known as Ariha ("fragrant" in Arabic) or Tulul Abu el Alayiq ("City of Palms"), is the name of a Bronze Age city mentioned in the book of Joshua and other parts of both the Old and New Testaments of the Judeo-Christian bible.
What was the name of the empire that ruled Jericho in the Bronze Age?
After the Late Bronze Age, Jericho was no longer much of a center, but continued to be occupied on a small scale, and ruled by Babylonians, Persian Empire, the Roman Empire, Byzantine and Ottoman Empire up until the present day.
How many plastered skulls were found in the Neolithic?
Plastered Skulls. Ten plastered human skulls have been recovered from the Neolithic layers at Jericho. Kenyon discovered seven in a cache deposited during the middle PPNB period, below a plastered floor. Two others were found in 1956, and a 10th in 1981.
How tall is Jericho's tower?
It is slightly conical in form, with a base diameter of roughly 9 m (30 ft) and a top diameter of about 7 m (23 ft). It rises to a height of 8.25 m (27 ft) from its base.
Who discovered Jericho's tower?
Jericho's tower is perhaps its defining piece of architecture. British archaeologist Kathleen Kenyon discovered the monumental stone tower during her excavations at Tel es-Sultan in the 1950s. The tower is on the western fringe of the PPNA settlement separated from it by a ditch and a wall; Kenyon suggested it was part of the town's defenses. Since Kenyon's day, Israeli archaeologist Ran Barkai and colleagues have suggested the tower was an ancient astronomical observatory, one of the earliest on record.
Who was the first Christian to visit Jericho?
anonymous Christian traveler known as the "Pilgrim of Bordeaux." Among the archaeologists who have worked at Jericho are Carl Watzinger, Ernst Sellin, Kathleen Kenyon, and John Garstang. Kenyon excavated at Jericho between 1952 and 1958 and is widely credited with introducing scientific excavation methodologies into biblical archaeology.
When did the Jericho people settle?
The earliest evidence of settlement comes from 12,000 years ago when hunter-gatherers settled in the area. Although they were hunter-gatherers, the area seems to have been abundant enough that they were able to live a sedentary lifestyle. They lived in oval stone structures that were partially underground. By about 10,500 years ago, or around 8,500 BC, the people of Jericho had adopted agriculture and Jericho had become a major Neolithic settlement engaging in long distance trade. It was during this time that the famous tower of Jericho was built.
What was the city of Jericho surrounded by?
The city of Jericho sat atop a mound or hill, which was surrounded by an embankment. The embankment was supported by an enormous stone retaining wall. Above the retaining wall was an 8-10 meter tall and 2 meter thick mudbrick wall. The wall was directly above the retaining wall and lined the edges of the embankment.
What type of defense was used in Jericho?
The city of Jericho appears to follow a Bronze Age tradition in which cities were built on top of artificial embankments or mounds surrounded by walls. This style of defense is found outside of Jericho at locations such Hazor, Megiddo, and Shechem. Typically, the site would consist of a mound with an artificial embankment surrounding it. Around the embankment would be a stone retaining wall. Settlements with this type of defense structure also had a mudbrick wall built atop the retaining wall as well as another wall surrounding the crest of the mound. This type of fortification is referred to as a glacis and is found all over Palestine and in large portions of the Middle East.
What would happen if the outer wall of Jericho fell down?
Thus, if the outer wall was toppled, it would fall below to the base of the retaining wall.
How long did the siege of Jericho last?
The siege of Jericho by the ancient Israelites is said to have lasted only seven days. The fact that the grain pots were still full is consistent with a short siege. This also supports another part of the Biblical narrative, which mentions that the battle of Jericho happened in the spring, shortly after harvest time.
Who burned the walls of Jericho?
Dame Kenyon dated the fallen walls of Jericho to the Hyksos Expulsion and said Egyptians torched the town after the walls fell. No other walls were built thereafter. The Bible has Jericho being torched by Israel, who has arrived from Egypt, and Kenyon says Egyptians, in pursuit of the Hyksos, burned the walls.
When did the destruction of Jericho happen?
Nonetheless, the story of the destruction of Jericho, Ai, and Hazor, around 1400 BC, is consistent with what is known from archaeological excavations. When the Bible speaks of the walls of Jericho falling down, ...
What is the significance of the walls of Jericho?
Though weapons of the hunt had been in use for centuries, the walls of Jericho represent the earliest technology uncovered by archaeologists that can be ascribed unequivocally to purely military purposes. John F. Guilmartin The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica.
How tall are the walls of Jericho?
Walls of Jericho, massive stone walls surrounding an ancient Neolithic settlement in Jericho, built about 8000 bce. These walls, at least 13 feet (4 metres) in height and backed by a watchtower or redoubt some 28 feet tall, were intended to protect the settlement and its water supply from human intruders.
What was the only thing that separated the city dwellers from the people of Jericho?
The only thing that separated them was the wall . The only thing it advertised was that the people of Jericho had built it.
When did the Jericho wall begin?
Over six thousand years and more, different civilizations made different uses of the wall, suiting it to their own needs and culture. Finally, around 1500 BCE , the age of the Israelites arrived, and the wall of Jericho began its slow metamorphosis from a thing of stone and earth into an object of pure myth.
Where is the proof of the Bible?
The proof is at Jericho — the real Jericho, not the storied place of the Bible but the historical site, known today as Tell es-Sultan (Hill of the Sultan), located in the modern-day West Bank. Not only the oldest city wall known to us, the ninth-millennium site is also by most estimates the oldest city, full stop.
Overview
History and archaeology
The first excavations of the site were made by Charles Warren in 1868. Ernst Sellin and Carl Watzinger excavated Tell es-Sultan and Tulul Abu el-'Alayiq between 1907 and 1909, and in 1911, and John Garstang excavated between 1930 and 1936. Extensive investigations using more modern techniques were made by Kathleen Kenyon between 1952 and 1958. Lorenzo Nigro and Nicolò M…
Etymology
Jericho's name in Hebrew, Yeriẖo, is generally thought to derive from the Canaanite word reaẖ ("fragrant"), but other theories hold that it originates in the Canaanite word for "moon" (Yareaẖ) or the name of the lunar deity Yarikh, for whom the city was an early centre of worship.
Jericho's Arabic name, ʼArīḥā, means "fragrant" and also has its roots in Canaanite Reaẖ.
Geography and environment
Jericho is located 258 metres (846 ft) below sea level in an oasis in Wadi Qelt in the Jordan Valley, which makes it the lowest city in the world. The nearby spring of Ein es-Sultan produces 3.8 m (1,000 gallons) of water per minute, irrigating some 10 square kilometres (2,500 acres) through multiple channels and feeding into the Jordan River, 10 kilometres (6 mi) away.
A 3,500 ha (8,600-acre) site encompassing the city of Jericho and its immediate surrounds has …
Demographics
In the first census carried out by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS), in 1997, Jericho's population was 14,674. Palestinian refugees constituted a significant 43.6% of the residents or 6,393 people. The gender make-up of the city was 51% male and 49% female. Jericho has a young population, with nearly half (49.2%) of the inhabitants being under the age of 2…
Economy
In 1994, Israel and the Palestinians signed an economic accord that enabled Palestinians in Jericho to open banks, collect taxes and engage in export and import in preparation for self-rule. Agriculture is another source of income, with banana groves ringing the city.
The Jericho Agro-Industrial Park is a public-private enterprise being develope…
Tourism
In 1998, a $150 million casino-hotel was built in Jericho with the backing of Yasser Arafat. The casino is now closed, though the hotel on the premises is open for guests.
In 2010, Jericho, with its proximity to the Dead Sea, was declared the most popular destination among Palestinian tourists.
Christian tourism is one of Jericho's primary sources of income. There are several major Christia…
Schools and religious institutions
In 1925, Christian friars opened a school for 100 pupils that became the Terra Santa School. The city has 22 state schools and a number of private schools.
First Settlement
The Wall of Jericho
- Archaeological evidence reveals that by 8000 BCE, the site grew to 40,000 square meters (430,000 square feet) and was surrounded by a stone wall 3.6 meters (11.8 feet) high and 1.8 meters (5.9 feet) wide at the base. Inside the wall was a stone tower 8.5 meters (28 feet) high and 9 meters (30 feet) wide at the base. The tower had an internal staircase with 22 steps. The only …
The Second Settlement
Bronze Age & The Fall of Jericho
- After this, new settlements were established in Jericho periodically. These settlements were still Neolithic, but there is evidence that they were producing pottery. It became a walled town again at the end of the 4th millennium BCE. Evidence shows that the walls have been rebuilt many times. The largest of these settlements was constructed in 2600 BCE by the Amorites. About 2300 BCE…
The Israelites & The Battle of Jericho
- According to the Bible, at around 1,400 BCE, Jericho was the first city attacked by the Israelites after they crossed the Jordan River and entered Canaan. The Wall of Jericho was destroyed when the Israelites walked around it for seven days carrying the Ark of the Covenant. On the seventh day, Joshua commanded his people to blow their trumpets made of rams' horns and shout at th…