Archaeologists Uncover 12,000-Year-Old Settlement (Israel)

The Age.com ^ | 8-1-2003

[blam]

Archaeologists uncover 12,000-year-old settlement

August 1 2003

Israeli archaeologists said today they had discovered a 12,000-year-old neolithic settlement west of Jerusalem which they believe is the largest of the period ever discovered in the Holy Land.

The settlement, in Motza 5km west of Jerusalem, was home to 2,000 people and dates to 9,500 BC, Hammadid Khalife, head of the archeological team, told AFP.

"We discovered a real treasure on the site consisting of 58 flint blades, found together, which at the time served as a kind of currency," Khalife said.

"The origin of the stone and the way the blades were made show they come from northern Syria," he added.

"It is the first time that such a treasure ... from this neolithic period, has been discovered in the Holy Land," said Khalife, who specified the site belonged to an era known as pre-pottery neolithic.

A similar discovery was made in Syria by a French team three years ago at a site called Jerat al-Ahmar.

The dig, which started three months ago, was organised by the Israeli antiquities department.

- AFP

[facedown]

BTTT

[FreeLibertarian]

Bump

[arasina]

If you "dig" archaeological digs, read The Source by James Michener. On the other hand, there's a great possibility that if you're reading this thread, you already have. :o)

[dogbyte12]

Ummm, the earth is only 6,000 years old. Obviously they are lying ;)

[Physicist]

The Palestinian Authority is probably already demanding that it be removed.

[rustbucket]

Where does this settlement rank in the oldest city contest?

[blam]

"Where does this settlement rank in the oldest city contest?"

Don't know but, I don't think it is anything exceptional.

[rustbucket]

I suspect you are right. In searching the web, I saw one reference to 12,000 year old settlements, but most everything else I found was far younger (less old). See the following:

Old cities
Palestine
Egypt
India

[RightWhale]

Of course, it wasn't the Holy Land then. Anything that old here would be a hunting camp or a fish camp.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Blam. Another oldie.

Please FREEPMAIL me if you want on, off, or alter the "Gods, Graves, Glyphs" PING list --
Archaeology/Anthropology/Ancient Cultures/Artifacts/Antiquities, etc.
The GGG Digest -- Gods, Graves, Glyphs (alpha order)

[SunkenCiv]

Note: this topic is from 8/01/2003. Thanks blam.

A sprawling, prosperous Neolithic village dated to 9,000 years ago has been discovered in Motza, at the foot of the Jerusalem hills. The site, featuring dozens of stone houses, grander buildings that may have been temples, and skeletal remains was discovered serendipitously during works ahead of building a new road.

Belying thoughts that prehistoric settlements didn’t have enough “culture” to grow anywhere near that large, the village seems to have supported around a thousand people at its heyday. It was about 500 meters in length, which isn’t much smaller than the modern village of Abu Ghosh nearby. However, it was mysteriously abandoned after about 400 years and would only arise anew 5,000 years later, in the era of Roman control over the land.

[9,000-year-old Neolithic City Discovered in Jerusalem Valley | July 16, 2018 | from Haaretz]

[Red Badger]

A sprawling, prosperous Neolithic village dated to 9,000 years ago has been discovered in Motza...

I bet they had a ball.......................