Israel’s Oldest Gate Found, Pushing Back Clock on Urbanization

• Hashim Sheikh
• . August 15, 2023
• . Update: August 15, 2023 6:38 pm
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Archaeologists in Israel have discovered what they believe to be the oldest gate in the country, dating back to around 5,500 years ago. The discovery, made at the Tel Erani site in the Negev desert, has the potential to significantly rewrite the history of urbanization in the region.

The gate was found in the remains of a large fortified city that was built at Tel Erani during the Chalcolithic period, or the Copper Age. The city was one of the largest and most sophisticated of its time in the region, and its discovery has provided new insights into the development of early urban societies in the Middle East.

The gate is made of mudbrick and measures about 10 feet wide and 6 feet high. It is thought to have been the main entrance to the city, and it would have been heavily fortified to protect the city from attack. The gate is also decorated with reliefs of animals and geometric designs, which provide further clues about the culture of the people who built it.

The discovery of the gate is significant because it pushes back the date of urbanization in the region by several centuries. Until now, the earliest known gates in Israel were dated to around 4,000 years ago. The discovery of the Tel Erani gate suggests that urbanization may have begun in the region much earlier than previously thought.

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The discovery also has implications for our understanding of the development of early civilizations. The Tel Erani gate is a reminder that the people who lived in the region during the Chalcolithic period were capable of building complex and sophisticated structures. This suggests that these early societies were more advanced than previously thought, and that they may have played a more important role in the development of early civilizations than previously recognized.

The discovery of the Tel Erani gate is a major breakthrough in the field of archaeology, and it has the potential to significantly rewrite our understanding of the history of urbanization in the region. The gate is a reminder that the people who lived in the region during the Chalcolithic period were capable of great things, and it provides new insights into the development of early civilizations.

In addition to the gate, archaeologists have also found other evidence of urbanization at the Tel Erani site, including a large public building, a cemetery, and a system of roads and canals. This evidence suggests that Tel Erani was a thriving city with a complex society.

The discovery of Tel Erani is a significant addition to our knowledge of the early history of the region, and it provides new insights into the development of early civilizations. The site is a reminder that the people who lived in the region thousands of years ago were capable of great things, and it offers a glimpse into a lost world.