Layers of Antiquity: The Strange Phenomenon of Multiple Cities atop One Another
In the fascinating world of archaeology, the phenomenon of ancient cities being built on top of each other is a significant discovery. This unique occurrence creates multi-layered mounds, often referred to as "tells," "tepe," or "tappeh," which serve as time capsules, preserving remains from various eras in successive occupation levels.
These layered mounds offer archaeologists a unique opportunity to study a chronological sequence of human activity, culture, destruction, and rebuilding over thousands of years at a single site. For instance, the ancient city of Troy is a prime example, with excavations revealing layers dating from the Late Bronze Age through the Eastern Roman period, each preserving artifacts and evidence of events such as war, destruction, and daily life.
The terms "tell," "tepe," and "tappeh" are used in archaeology to describe such ancient settlement mounds. "Tell" is a term commonly used in the Near East and parts of the Mediterranean, originating from Arabic/Aramaic. "Tepe" and "tappeh" are Turkish and Persian words, respectively, with similar meanings indicating a raised mound or hill formed by ancient occupation layers.
Each layer or "stratum" represents a distinct period of occupation, often containing architectural remains, tools, pottery, and sometimes evidence of destruction, such as burnt layers, weapons, and hastily buried skeletons. This enables the reconstruction of historical events and cultural changes across time.
The significance of these mounds lies in the preservation of continuous historical records, the insight they provide into urban development, war, and social changes, and the identification of specific cultural and chronological phases. They offer a glimpse into the past, providing a window into the lives of our ancestors and the societies they built.
In Tepe Gawra, for example, temples often fell out of use and were built on top of, suggesting a deep respect for sacred space. Similarly, Jericho contains a massive stone tower and wall system from the Neolithic era, which was built on top of what came before. As the population of Tell Brak grew, homes, administrative buildings, and roads began to form around these sacred spaces.
Despite changes in leadership, culture, and environment, people at Tell Brak kept coming back, building over the old and moving forward. Early structures at Tell Brak were likely ceremonial - shrines and sacred enclosures. Tell Brak began as a small settlement around 6000 BCE and developed into one of the first large urban centers in the world.
Aleppo and Damascus are among the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities, with buried remains of Bronze Age buildings, Roman roads, and medieval fortifications beneath modern streets. Jericho is one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world, with excavations revealing more than 20 layers of human settlement dating back to around 9000 BCE.
In some cities, people stayed because the ground still gave them what they needed, while in others, they stayed because the land had become part of who they were. Generations of people at Tepe Gawra reused the same ground to worship, plan, and gather.
With modern technology like ground-penetrating radar, LIDAR, and other tools, archaeologists are finding older foundations below familiar sites, revealing more about the history of cities like Troy, Uruk, and the Amazon rainforest. In present-day Giza, if you were to excavate, you might come up with an item of the ancient Egyptian civilization. In places like Jericho and Damascus, the remains of dozens of earlier settlements lie just below modern streets, still part of the living city.
Each layer, thin or deep, represents a piece of the past, a snapshot of a moment in time, and a testament to the resilience and adaptability of human civilizations. These multi-layered mounds are not just archaeological wonders; they are a testament to the enduring spirit of humanity, a testament to our ability to build, to adapt, and to persevere, even in the face of adversity.
Technology can aid archaeologists in unearthing older foundations beneath familiar sites, providing insights into the history of cities like Troy, Uruk, or the Amazon rainforest, as seen through the use of ground-penetrating radar, LIDAR, and other tools. The archaeological site of Tepe Gawra, for instance, demonstrates human resilience and adaptability, with generations reusing the same ground for spiritual purposes, often building over older structures, signifying a testament to the enduring spirit of humanity, even in the face of adversity.
