Many ancient cities lay claim to the right to be called the first city on Earth. We will talk about the two oldest and most ancient cities, according to archaeologists and historians. These two cities are Jericho and Hamukar. These cities existed thousands of years ago.
Jericho
First of all, the definition of “ancient city” refers to Jericho, an oasis near the place where the Jordan River flows into the Dead Sea. The city of Jericho, widely known in the Bible, is located here - the same one whose walls once fell from the sound of the trumpets of Joshua.
According to biblical tradition, the Israelites began the conquest of Canaan from Jericho and, after the death of Moses, under the leadership of Joshua, crossing the Jordan, they stood at the walls of this city. The townspeople, hiding behind the city walls, were convinced that the city was impregnable. But the Israelis used an extraordinary military stratagem. They walked around the city walls in a silent crowd six times, and on the seventh they shouted in unison and blew the trumpets, so loudly that the formidable walls collapsed. This is where the expression comes from "Trumpet of Jericho".
Jericho is fed by the water of the powerful spring Ain es-Sultan ( "The Sultan's Source"), to which the city owes its existence. The Arabs call the name of this source a hill north of modern Jericho - Tell es-Sultan ( "Sultan's Mountain"). Already in late XIX century, it attracted the attention of archaeologists and is still considered one of the most important sites for archaeological finds of objects from the early historical period.
In 1907 and 1908, a group of German and Austrian researchers, led by Professors Ernst Sellin and Karl Watzinger, first began excavations at Mount Sultana. They came across two parallel fortress walls, built from sun-dried bricks. The outer wall had a thickness of 2 m and a height of 8-10 m, and the thickness of the inner wall reached 3.5 m.
Archaeologists have determined that these walls were built between 1400 and 1200 BC. It is clear that they were quickly identified with those walls that, as the Bible reports, collapsed from the powerful sounds of the trumpets of the Israelite tribes. However, during the excavations, archaeologists came across the remains of construction debris, which were of even greater interest to science than the finds that confirmed the Bible’s information about the war. But the First World War suspended further scientific research.
More than twenty years passed before a group of Englishmen, led by Professor John Garstang, was able to continue their research. New excavations began in 1929 and lasted about ten years.
In 1935-1936 Garstang encountered the lowest layers of Stone Age settlements.
He discovered a cultural layer older than the 5th millennium BC, dating back to a time when people did not yet know pottery. But people of this era already led a sedentary lifestyle.
The work of the Garstang expedition was interrupted due to difficult political situation. And only after the end of World War II did English archaeologists return to Jericho. This time the expedition was led by Dr. Kathleen M. Canyon, with whose activities all further discoveries in this ancient city in the world are associated. To participate in the excavations, the British invited German anthropologists who had been working in Jericho for several years.
In 1953, archaeologists led by Kathleen Canyon managed to make an outstanding discovery that completely changed our understanding of early history humanity. Researchers made their way through 40 (!) cultural layers and discovered buildings of the Neolithic period with huge buildings dating back to the time when, it would seem, only nomadic tribes should have lived on Earth, earning their food by hunting and collecting plants and fruits. The results of excavations showed that approximately 10 thousand years ago a qualitative leap was made in the eastern Mediterranean associated with the transition to the artificial cultivation of cereals. This led to drastic changes in culture and lifestyle.
The discovery of early agricultural Jericho was an archeological sensation in the 1950s. Systematic excavations here revealed a whole series of successive layers, united into two complexes: Pre-ceramic Neolithic A (8th millennium BC) and Pre-ceramic Neolithic B (7th millennium BC).
Today, Jericho A is considered the first urban settlement discovered in the Old World. Here are found the earliest permanent structures known to science, burials and sanctuaries, built from earth or small round unbaked bricks.
The pre-ceramic Neolithic settlement A occupied an area of about 4 hectares and was surrounded by a powerful defensive wall made of stone. Adjacent to it was a massive round stone tower. Initially, researchers assumed that this was a tower of a fortress wall. But obviously, it was a special-purpose structure that combined many functions, including the function of a guard post for monitoring the surrounding area.
Protected by a stone wall, there were round, tent-like houses on stone foundations with walls made of mud brick, one surface of which was convex (this type of brick is called "pork's back"). To more accurately determine the age of these structures, the latest scientific methods were used, such as the radiocarbon (radiocarbon) method.
Nuclear physicists, when studying isotopes, found that it is possible to determine the age of objects by the ratio of radioactive and stable carbon isotopes. Through sounding, it was established that the oldest walls of this city date back to the 8th millennium, that is, their age is approximately 10 thousand years. The sanctuary discovered as a result of excavations was even more ancient - 9551 BC.
There is no doubt that Jericho A, with its settled population and developed construction industry, was one of the first early agricultural settlements on Earth. Based on many years of research conducted here, historians have received absolutely new picture development and technical capabilities that humanity had 10 thousand years ago.
The transformation of Jericho from a small primitive settlement with miserable huts and huts into a real city with an area of at least 3 hectares and a population of more than 2000 people is associated with the transition of the local population from simple gathering of edible cereals to agriculture - growing wheat and barley. At the same time, researchers have established that this revolutionary step was taken not as a result of some kind of introduction from the outside, but was the result of the development of the tribes living here: archaeological excavations of Jericho showed that in the period between the culture of the original settlement and the culture of the new city, which was built at the turn 9th and 8th millennia BC, life here did not stop.
At first, the town was not fortified, but with the advent of strong neighbors, fortress walls became necessary to protect against attacks. The appearance of fortifications speaks not only of the confrontation between different tribes, but also of the accumulation by the inhabitants of Jericho of certain material values that attracted the greedy gaze of their neighbors. What were these values? Archaeologists have answered this question as well. Probably the main source of income for the townspeople was barter trade: the well-located city controlled the main resources of the Dead Sea - salt, bitumen and sulfur. Obsidian, jade and diorite from Anatolia, turquoise from the Sinai Peninsula, cowrie shells from the Red Sea were found in Jericho - all these goods were highly valued during the Neolithic period.
The fact that Jericho was a powerful urban center is evidenced by its defensive fortifications. Without the use of picks and hoes, a ditch 8.5 m wide and 2.1 m deep was cut into the rock. Behind the ditch rose stone wall 1.64 m thick, preserved at a height of 3.94 m. Its original height probably reached 5 m, and above it was masonry made of mud bricks.
The excavations revealed a large round stone tower with a diameter of 7 m, preserved to a height of 8.15 m, with an internal staircase carefully constructed from single meter-wide stone slabs. The tower contained grain storage and clay-lined cisterns to collect rainwater.
The stone tower of Jericho was probably built at the beginning of the 8th millennium BC. and lasted for a very long time. When it ceased to be used for its intended purpose, crypts for burials began to be built in its internal passage, and the former storage facilities were used as dwellings. These rooms were often rebuilt. One of them, destroyed in a fire, dates back to 6935 BC
After this, archaeologists counted four more periods of existence in the history of the tower, and then the city wall collapsed and began to erode. Apparently, the city was already deserted at this time.
The construction of a powerful defensive system required an enormous amount of labor, the use of a significant workforce and the presence of some kind of central authority to organize and direct the work. Researchers estimate the population of this first city in the world to be two thousand people, and this figure may be underestimated.
What did these first citizens of the Earth look like and how did they live?
An analysis of the skulls and bone remains found in Jericho showed that 10 thousand years ago, short people - just over 150 cm - with elongated skulls (dolichocephalians), who belonged to the so-called Euro-African race, lived here. They built oval-shaped dwellings from lumps of clay, the floors of which were recessed below ground level. The house was entered through a doorway with wooden jambs. There were several steps leading down. Most houses consisted of a single round or oval room with a diameter of 4-5 m, covered with a vault of intertwined rods. The ceiling, walls and floor were covered with clay. The floors in the houses were carefully leveled, sometimes painted and polished.
The inhabitants of ancient Jericho used stone and bone tools, did not know ceramics and ate wheat and barley, the grains of which were ground on stone grain grinders with stone pestles. From eating too much food, which consisted of cereals and legumes ground in stone mortars, these people’s teeth completely wore out.
Despite a more comfortable habitat than that of primitive hunters, their life was extremely difficult, and average age the inhabitants of Jericho did not exceed 20 years of age. Infant mortality was very high, and only a few lived to be 40-45 years old. There were obviously no people older than this age in ancient Jericho.
The townspeople buried their dead right under the floors of their homes, wearing iconic plaster masks with cowrie shells inserted into the eyes of the masks on their skulls.
It is curious that in ancient graves Jericho (6500 BC) archaeologists mostly find headless skeletons. Apparently, the skulls were separated from the corpses and buried separately. The cultic beheading is known in many parts of the world and has been practiced right up to our time. Here, in Jericho, scientists apparently encountered one of the earliest manifestations of this cult.
During this “pre-ceramic” period, the inhabitants of Jericho did not use earthenware - they replaced it with stone vessels, carved mainly from limestone. Probably, the townspeople also used all kinds of wickerwork and leather containers like wineskins.
Not knowing how to sculpt pottery, ancient inhabitants At the same time, animal figurines and other images were sculpted from clay of Jericho. In residential buildings and tombs of Jericho, many clay figurines of animals were found, as well as stucco images of the phallus. Cult masculinity was widespread in ancient Palestine, its images are also found in other places.
In one of the layers of Jericho, archaeologists discovered a kind of ceremonial hall with six wooden pillars. It was probably a sanctuary - a primitive predecessor of the future temple. Inside this room and in its immediate vicinity, archaeologists did not find any household items, but they found numerous clay figurines of animals - horses, cows, sheep, goats, pigs and models of male genital organs.
The most amazing discovery in Jericho was the stucco figurines of people. They are made from local limestone clay called "hawara" with a reed frame. These figurines are of normal proportions, but flat in front. Nowhere, except for Jericho, have such figurines been encountered by archaeologists before.
In one of the prehistoric layers of Jericho, group sculptures of men, women and children were also found life size. They were made using cement-like clay, which was spread on a reed frame. These figures were still very primitive and flat: after all, plastic art for many centuries preceded cave drawings or images on cave walls. The figures found show how much interest the inhabitants of Jericho showed in the miracle of the origin of life and the creation of a family - this was one of the first and most strong impressions prehistoric man.
the emergence of Jericho - the first urban center - indicates the emergence tall shapes social organization Even the invasion of more backward tribes from the north in the 5th millennium BC. could not interrupt this process, which ultimately led to the creation of highly developed ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia and the Middle East.
Hamukar
The ruins of a city that scientists believe is at least 6,000 years old have been discovered in Syria. The discovery actually changed traditional ideas about the appearance of cities and civilization on Earth in general. It forces us to consider the spread of civilization in a new light, starting from an earlier time. Before this discovery, cities dating back to 4000 BC had only been discovered in ancient Sumer- between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in the territory of modern Iraq, the last, the most ancient, was found in the southeastern part of Syria under a huge hill near the village of Hamukar. Mysterious city also called Hamukar.
For the first time, archaeologists began to actively dig the ground here back in the 1920s -1930s. Then they assumed that it was here that Vashshukani was located - the capital of the Mitanni Empire (approximately the 15th century BC), which had not yet been discovered. But no signs of settlement of this area were found then - “ Vashshukan theory" turned out to be untenable.
Many years passed, and scientists again became interested in this place. And not in vain: after all, it is located on one of the most important transport arteries of antiquity - the road from Nineveh to Aleppo, along which travelers and caravans of merchants stretched. This situation, according to scientists, provided a lot of advantages and created excellent preconditions for the development of the city.
Researchers actually discovered signs indicating its existence back in the middle of the 4th millennium BC.
Then the first cities arose one after another in Southern Iraq, and their colonies were formed in Syria.
This time the archaeologists were determined - indeed literally- get to the bottom of the truth. A special Syrian-American expedition was formed to explore Hamukar, the director of which was McGuire Gibson, a leading researcher at the Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago. The first shovel hit the ground in November 1999. The expedition needed to get used to it, settle down, prepare the excavation area, hire local residents for heavy work...
It all started with the compilation detailed map terrain. And only then, with her help, archaeologists began the next, no less painstaking stage of work: it was necessary to carefully - almost with a magnifying glass in hand - examine the entire excavation area, collecting various shards. Such studies would provide a fairly accurate idea of the size and shape of the settlement. And luck really smiled on archaeologists - ancient cities hidden in the ground “fell out” as if from a cornucopia.
The first settlement found dates back to approximately 3209. BC. and occupied an area of about 13 hectares. It gradually grew, its territory increased to 102 hectares, and subsequently the settlement became one of the largest cities of that time. Then, based on the items found, other, more interesting sites for excavations were identified. In the eastern part of the settlement, archaeologists discovered a building in which pots were fired. And the main result of the inspection of the area was the discovery of a large settlement south of the hill. Its more detailed study confirmed that this territory began to be populated at the beginning of the 4th millennium BC. If all the discovered settlements are recognized as one city, then its area will be more than 250, which is hard to believe. At that time, in the era of the birth of the first urban settlements, such Big city was a real metropolis of antiquity.
Satellites have helped scientists well. The photographs taken from them gave the researchers another idea when, 100 m from the hill, on its northern and eastern sides, they discerned a dark, twisting line, similar to a city wall, while only a small slope was visible on the ground. Further examination showed that the wall could have been located closer to the hill, and the slope was preserved from a ditch that supplied the city with water.
Excavations were carried out in three zones. The first is a trench 60 m long and 3 m wide, running along the northern slope of the hill. Its gradual digging made it possible for archaeologists to examine the development of the settlement in different eras, since each step was 4-5 m lower than the next. So: the lowest layer that scientists reached showed a city 6000 years ago!
On the next level, walls of several houses made of clay bars were discovered, as well as a huge, possibly city wall, 4 meters high and 4 meters thick. The remains of pottery underneath date back to the middle of the 4th millennium BC. Next comes a level dating back to 3200 BC. Ceramics from here refer to the creativity of the peoples of Southern Iraq, which indicates the interaction of the Syrian and Mesopotamian peoples at that time.
These houses are followed by “younger” buildings, built in the 3rd millennium BC. There are already baked brick houses and wells here. Directly above one of the houses there is a later building - from the mid-1st millennium - and then there is a modern cemetery.
Another excavation area was replete with shards. It was divided into sections of five square meters And they carefully “shoveled” all the earth. Archaeologists have discovered houses here with perfectly preserved clay walls. And inside there were huge quantities of things from days gone by - all covered with a thick layer of ash. This created great difficulties for scientists: try to find burnt fragments in the cracks of the floors, in various irregularities and holes.
Soon the sources of such abundant ash were found - in one room the remains of four or five slabs made of clay bars, which were partially burned when the stoves were heated, were excavated. Around the slabs there were remains of barley, wheat, oats, as well as animal bones. Therefore, power stoves are used for baking bread, brewing beer, cooking meat and other products.
The ceramics discovered here amazed scientists with their diversity: large pots for preparing ordinary food, small vessels, as well as small elegant vessels, the walls of which are equal to the thickness of an ostrich egg shell. Figurines with large eyes were also found in the houses, possibly some deities from the middle of the 4th millennium BC.
But still, 15 seals in the form of carefully drawn animals tell the most complete story about the society of that era. All of them were found in one hole, presumably a grave. Also found here were a huge number of beads made of bone, faience, stone and shells, some of which were so small size, which can be assumed: they were not used as necklaces, but were woven or sewn into clothing.
The seals are carved from stone in the shape of animals. One of the largest and most beautiful seals is made in the form of a leopard, the spots on which are made using small pins inserted into drilled holes. A seal was also found, not inferior to a leopard print in beauty - in the form of a horned animal, which, unfortunately, the horns broke off. Large seals are much more varied, but there are far fewer of them than small ones, the main types of which are lion, goat, bear, dog, hare, fish and birds. The larger, more elaborate seals must have belonged to people with great power or wealth, while the smaller ones may have been used by others to denote private property.
In a small pit two meters deep in the north-eastern part of the excavation, just below the surface, the researchers discovered a wall dating back to the 7th century. AD, and a meter lower - the corner of the building, strengthened by a support with two niches. The support was installed next to the door that leads to the east. The door jamb, buttress, niches and south wall are covered with lime. Typically, such supports with niches were installed not near private, but near temple buildings. Shards of pottery found near the temple point to the beginning of the 3rd millennium BC, that is, the Akkadian period, when the rulers of Akkad, a state in southern Mesopotamia, began expanding into what is now Syria. Since this is a critical period in the history of Mesopotamia, the place where so many eras are intertwined becomes the main focus of the expedition's forces in the next season.
Previously, historians assumed that the Syrian and Turkish states began to actively develop only after contact with representatives of Uruk - ancient state in Southern Iraq. But the excavations of Hamukar prove that highly developed societies appeared not only in the Tigris-Euphrates valley, but also in other areas at the same time. Some researchers even believe that civilization originally began in Syria. The discovery actually changed traditional ideas about the emergence of cities and civilization in general, forcing us to consider its birth and spread at an earlier time.
While it was previously believed that civilization began in the Uruk period (ca. 4000 BC), there is now evidence of its existence as far back as the Ubaid period (ca. 4500 BC). This means that the development of the first states began before the advent of writing and other phenomena considered criteria for the emergence of civilization. Vital connections began to form between different peoples, and people exchanged experiences. Civilization began to march across the planet with leaps and bounds!
The excavations of Hamukara promise many more discoveries, because this is the only place where the layers of 4000 BC. lie two meters from the surface and even higher.
Based on materials from 100velikih.com and bibliotekar.ru
During human civilization Many settlements arose and became cities. But time, wars, natural disasters turned many of them into ruins. Some of them have survived to this day. What are the oldest cities in Russia still standing today? This question interests many.
Some problems
It can be very difficult to identify countries: the date of foundation of the settlement is not always known. Based on the data of chroniclers or historians, the date can only be determined approximately. Reading the chronicles, historians pay attention to where this or that city is mentioned, with what historical events related to his mention. The ancient cities of Russia could have had different names in those ancient times. Therefore, the exact date when they were erected is sometimes impossible to find out. But this concerns ancient cities. There are also official statements about the day of foundation, then there is no problem of determining the age of a historical place.
To study the issue, historians turn to the Nikon Chronicle, which was compiled back in the 16th century. Information from Arabic sources dating back to the 10th century is being studied. The famous historical work “The Tale of Bygone Years” also helps in this. The work of archaeologists who conduct excavations and help identify the most ancient cities of Russia does not stop. The list of them changes, there are objects, masonry walls, pavements that provide more and more information to historians. Today these are Velikiy Ladoga, Smolensk, Murom, Pskov, Derbent, Kerch.
Velikiy Novgorod
The history of its occurrence is still unknown. Exact date No one knows the reason for it yet. Everything is approximate. But the fact that it is one of the oldest cities in Russia is a fact. The date of the establishment of Novgorod is recorded - 859. The age of the great city is calculated from it. Today he is 1155 years old. But this is not certain either. After all, the year of its foundation was considered to be the date mentioned at that time when the Novgorod elder Gostomysl died. This means that the city was founded much earlier.
The chronicler Nestor in The Tale of Bygone Years wrote about the most ancient cities of Russia. The list, which was called Laurentian, indicated that before the arrival of Rurik (in 862), Novgorod had already existed for a long time. It was founded by the Ilmen Slovenes, who settled near the lake. They named it by its own name - Ilmer. They founded a city and named it Novgorod.
During its history, Veliky Novgorod experienced many events: it was both the capital of a free state, and was captured by Moscow, Swedish and Levon rulers. Alexander Nevsky, Prince of Novgorod, repelled the Swedes in 1240 and the Knights of the Teutonic Order in 1242 on Lake Peipsi.
The most ancient cities of Russia
Among the listed places that are considered the most ancient, Staraya Ladoga stands on par with all of them. Historians date this settlement to the 8th century. It is believed that this city was founded in 753. Historians suggest that it was from Ladoga that Rurik was called to rule and became the first prince in Rus'. Neighbors attacked the city from the north, and the fortress suffered destruction and fires. But in the ninth century it was surrounded not by wooden walls, but by stone ones made of limestone, and Ladoga became a reliable northern fortress - the first in Rus'.
What ancient cities of Russia can be put on a par with Ladoga and Novgorod? This is what Smolensk is like. He is also mentioned in the chronicles in 862. Through it, as through Ladoga, passed known path"from the Varangians to the Greeks." Smolensk became the defense of Moscow and withstood many wars and battles. Fragments of the walls of the fortress, which was built in the 16th century and was considered a miracle of fortification technology of those times, are still preserved.
Murom - no less ancient city, which arose almost simultaneously with Smolensk. This city got its name from the Muroma tribe, of Finno-Ugric origin. His gaze is directed to the east: from there there was a constant threat of attack. Either the Volga-Kama Bulgars, or the Tatar-Mongols. Such ancient cities of Russia as Murom suffered terrible devastation, and no one took care of them for decades. Only in the fourteenth century was it restored, and at the very beginning of the 15th century, Murom was already subordinate to Moscow.
Ancient cities can be listed endlessly, how deep is the history of the country, so many historical places are there: Rostov the Great, Suzdal, Yaroslavl, Vladimir. But there is one city that is more than 5,000 years old, and it still exists today.
"Darband" - narrow gate
No matter how much people argue about which city in Russia is the most ancient, it is Derbent. This is the territory of the Dagestan Republic, but it is part of Russia. This means that Derbent is the most ancient city in Russia. It was located right next to the Caspian Sea: this is a narrow place that remained between the coast and the Caucasus mountains. It is worth noting that when the settlement of Derbend appeared, neither Kievan Rus nor Russian Empire. Derbent was mentioned in chronicles back in the 6th century BC. e., but settlements arose even earlier.
Today, the Naryn-Kala fortress, which is more than 2,500 years old, and the ancient Juma Mosque, built in the eighth century, have been preserved. Derbent controlled the Dagestan corridor through which the Great Silk Road passed. Many peoples tried to take possession of the city, stormed it, and destroyed it. For my long story Derbent has experienced both prosperity and decline many times. The protective wall - a fortification structure 40 km long - has survived to this day. The UNESCO organization considers Derbent the most ancient Russian city.
Speaking about the antiquity of the city, scientists are based on the first written mentions in chronicles and chronicles about the emergence of the settlement. But archaeological finds make it possible to push the city back several centuries further into history. How deeper story existence of the settlement, the more hardships befell the city. Therefore, many of them were often recreated practically “from scratch” after various pogroms, raids, conquests and epidemics. For example, in the west of the country they find the ruins of ancient cities that are “older” than Pskov, Suzdal or Bryansk. We will consider the historical prescription of currently existing cities in Russia.
The oldest cities in Russia. List
If we arrange all the current Russian cities on the time scale, taking into account their foundation, it turns out that about 56 cities were built before the arrival of the Tatar-Mongols in Rus', 111 settlements were founded during the Time of Troubles and the organization of a single state. The oldest cities in Russia are Novgorod, which in ancient times had the same status as Kyiv; Smolensk is a connecting trade, economic, military and political hub between Northern and Southern Russia; Murom, Rostov-Veliky, Beloozero and, of course, Derbent.
Velikiy Novgorod
Capital of the Novgorod Republic from the beginning of the 12th to the mid-15th century. The name of the city confirms the Old Scandinavian sagas, which called Rus' “the country of cities” - Gardarika. According to some sources, Novgorod was preceded by Staraya Ladoga, which was founded by Rurik before his accession to the Novgorod throne.
The location of the city was very advantageous from the economic side, as it connected the financial and trade flows of the West with the East. Crafts and trade actively developed in Novgorod, and its residents were considered the most educated among the European population. This is evidenced by multiple birch bark letters dating from the 11th to the 16th centuries.
Glorious Smolensk
This city is also included in the group “The Oldest Cities of Russia”. There is an authoritative scientific assumption that Smolensk, which was mentioned in the chronicles in 862, located in its present location, was founded only in the 11th century, and before that it was located 12-15 km to the west, in the area of the current village of Gnezdovoye.
The city was the capital of the Smolensk Principality, it is located in the upper reaches of the Dnieper, the famous route “from the Varangians to the Greeks” passed through it.
At all times, Smolensk was a major center that controlled a large territory. It was one of 8 provinces formed by Peter the Great in 1708. Subsequently, the city remained the main regional settlement during the formation of regions in Soviet times.
Legendary Murom
The first written data about the city is in the Laurentian Chronicle of 862. It received its name from the Finno-Ugric tribes living nearby - the Murom. We know the city from such a legendary hero as Ilya Muromets.
Nowadays, Murom is one of the main industrial centers of Russia, where the engineering industry plays an important role.
Rostov-Veliky
This city is not only one of the oldest settlements in Rus', but also the oldest city of the Golden Ring of Russia. He is mentioned in the same Laurentian Chronicle dated 862. Rostov was at one time the capital of the Rostov Principality. Since the 15th century it has been part of Muscovy. In the 17th century, the city became the largest religious center, with many churches, monasteries and the Kremlin built.
Since the 1970s, the city has had the status of a nature reserve.
Ancient Belozersk
This city was called Beloozero until the end of the 18th century. It is one of those settlements that have changed their original location. Its history is buried in centuries, which is why it is on the list of “the oldest cities in Russia.” Initially, the ancient settlement was located on the shores of Lake Beloye. And only in the 10th century it was moved to the coast of the Sheksna River. For more than a hundred years, the city was the capital of the principality of the same name, after which it became part of the Moscow kingdom. After a devastating epidemic (plague), the city moved 20 km to the west.
Nowadays, Belozersk is an ordinary regional center with little industrial potential. Architectural monuments, numerous monasteries and temples have turned it into a tourist town.
What is the oldest city in Russia?
Derbent is considered the oldest urban-type settlement built on the territory of the Russian Federation. It was founded in 438 as a fortress guarding Russian state at the crossroads of Europe and Asia in the Caucasus. For a long time it served as a border city, to which many Decembrists disliked by the government were often sent into exile.
About Derbent in his memoirs as “the most beautiful and amazing place" said famous writer A. Dumas.
At the present time, Derbent is the second in importance and number of inhabitants among the settlements of Dagestan.
Thanks to historical monuments and various attractions, the town serves as one of the mass tourist centers in the south of Russia. But in addition to tourism, wool and canning industries are well developed in Derbent.
One of the oldest cities in the world
Recent events on the political map of the world have made some adjustments to the “oldest cities in Russia” category. For a long time, the ancient territories of the once united state were separated from each other. This happened historically, following the political will of certain politicians, leaders and simply traitors. But the “wheel of time” turned the other way, and another ancient city, built when Rus' did not even really exist, returned to its “native shores.”
We are not interested now in what is the oldest city in the world. In Russia, this is Kerch, which is located on the eastern coast of the Crimean Peninsula. According to various sources, it was founded 2.5-2.6 thousand years ago. In the territory modern city There were already settlements of Cimmerians in the 17th-15th centuries BC. But a better known story is when in the 7th century. BC e. In these places, the ancient Greeks organized their colony, whose goal was to resist the indigenous settlers of these lands - the Scythians. In the 4th century. BC e. the city is part of the Bosporan kingdom.
Kerch became a Russian city in 1783, entering the structure of the newly formed Tauride province.
At the beginning of the 19th century, the city received administrative self-government.
The most ancient port of Russia
The Russian state, wanting to break through to maritime trade routes, not only conquered certain coastal territories, but also built port cities on the coast of the Black, Caspian and Baltic seas. Which city is the oldest port in Russia? Any schoolchild will answer that Arkhangelsk, and he will be right.
About the founding of a port city on the shores of the White Sea and the river. Dvina was mentioned in 1584 in the Dvina Chronicle.
Three years later, its first inhabitants were resettled to Arkhangelsk - 130 peasants from the surrounding villages. Through this port, Russian and Russian goods were transported across the White Sea. foreign origin. Also, the center of trade with overseas merchants was moved to the city.
With the advent of Peter the Great, Arkhangelsk rapidly developed not only in terms of trade, but also in the construction of new modern maritime ships.
Nowadays, this city seems to be one of the most important ports in Russia, through which trade flows with dozens of countries around the world.
Before naming the most ancient cities of Russia, it is necessary to clarify what is meant, an original Russian city that originally arose on the lands of Rus', or a settlement located on the territory modern Russia. In the second case, the answer will be clear - this is Derbent. It has been known about since the 6th century BC, when there was no Rus' at all.
Territory inhabited since time immemorial
Of course, as excavations show, there were ancient settlements everywhere, including on the territory of Moscow. And in Crimea, on the White Rock, a skeleton of a mother and child was found, which is 150,000 years old.
Later, during the Copper Age (Chalcolithic), settlements were already protected in every possible way, a prototype of fortresses appeared - a fortified settlement was erected on a high place, a fence was built near the river. Archaeologists still have a lot of work to do - there are already hundreds of excavated settlements on the territory of our country belonging to various temporary cultures. Herodotus mentions the wooden city of Gelon, which, according to some scientists, could be located on the territory of present-day Saratov. Much is known about the existence, especially in the Crimea, of ancient cities such as Tiras and Olbia, Tanais and Phanagoria. These cities and many others shaped medieval Rus'. Based on the above, we can conclude that Rurik did not come out of nowhere.
One of many
There are many lists of ancient Russian cities and they all differ. Some indicate only settlements, in some others, the dates of formation do not always coincide. Scientists argue, and new data appear. Below is one of the lists.
Founding dates |
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Velikiy Novgorod | ||
Rostov Veliky |
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Belozersk |
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Veliky Izborsk |
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Smolensk | ||
Vladimir | ||
Yaroslavl |
Several Yet
Novgorod is the oldest
Most often, the list is headed by Veliky Novgorod, first mentioned in the Novgorod Chronicle of 859. The mention is associated with Rurik, who came to Rus' from Ladoga (based on this information, in some lists this settlement is indicated under the first number). The advantageous location made Novgorod already by the middle of the 9th century the center of the northwestern lands and the first capital of Ancient Rus'. The city is a major cultural, political and shopping mall, conducting exchanges of goods with many foreign countries.
But in 882, Prince Oleg conquers Kyiv and makes it his capital and leaves Novgorod. The city continued to develop quite successfully, becoming the first “window to Europe” for Rus'. It may be noted that the first bishop arrived in Veliky Novgorod in 989.
Year of the construction boom
The second number in some list of “The Most Ancient Cities of Russia” is Belozersk, founded in 862. I wonder whose efforts laid the foundation for so many cities this year? Beloozero (the second name of the city) was moved several times - either it would flood it, or a pestilence would destroy half the population. Trade routes passed through it along the Sheksna and Mologa rivers to the Volga and beyond. Both Novgorod and Belozersk are cities with rich history, they still exist, but in this article they are interesting precisely as the ancient cities of Russia.
The list continues with the well-known Murom, thanks to the great prisoner Ilya. The history of this outpost dates back to the settlement of Oka Finnish tribe Muroma. The city was the capital of the Murom-Ryazan principality. Due to the fact that it was in the border zone, the city was constantly subject to raids. In 862, Polotsk (Polotesk) was founded at the mouth of the Polota River at its confluence with the Western Dvina. Part Old Russian state Polotsk dates back to 907, there is documentary evidence of this. At the same time, the city of Rostov was built on the shores of Lake Nero, which later became part of the Rostov-Suzdal Principality.
Next on the list
Smolensk was founded a year later in 863. It is mentioned in the Tale of Bygone Years. The advantageous position on the Dnieper contributed to the rapid establishment of the capital of the Krivichi people. Smolensk is part of Kievan Rus as a strong principality. Pskov and Uglich, Bryansk and Suzdal, Yaroslavl, Kursk and Ryazan, Vladimir, Kostroma and Tver are also ancient cities of Russia. Moscow also completes the list. But these are younger entities. Thus, Tver was founded in 1208. Initially, the city was part of the Novgorod principality, and then was annexed to the Vladimir-Suzdal lands. All these cities are historical heritage our country.
The history of the famous route
About 40 years ago in the newspaper " Soviet Russia» a number of articles were published about ancient Russian cities concentrated on the territory of several nearby regions. The golden-domed churches of these cities, located in a closed ring, gave their name to the new tourist route. " Golden ring Russia" was born from newspaper essays, the term was coined by the writer Yuri Bychkov. Initially, this route included only eight of the most ancient Russian cities - Moscow and Sergiev Posad, Pereyaslavl-Zalessky and Rostov the Great, Uglich and Yaroslavl, Kostroma and Ples, Suzdal and Vladimir, with one more point between them - Bogolyubovo. These cities were selected according to a certain principle. For example, they present all types of ancient Russian architecture, the development of which can be traced in stages.
Unofficial center
The route was gaining popularity, it became a cult, but many ancient settlements were not covered. And now, the “Golden Ring of Russia” already includes 20 cities, special routes are being created to visit other famous points.
There are cruises on the Volga under this name. The unofficial but generally recognized capital of the entire Golden Ring is Vladimir, a city located 193 km from Moscow, where the route begins and ends. The Pearl of the Ring was founded in 1108. Vladimir Monomakh, who was actively involved in urban planning, founded a wooden fortress and surrounded it with an earthen rampart. The city owes its prosperity to his grandson Andrei Bogolyubsky. The famous Vladimir Icon was brought to the city by him, and he also built the amazing Church of the Dormition of the Mother of God for it. In 1157, Vladimir became the capital of the Old Russian state. The city continues to actively develop. Since that time, many monuments have been preserved, and this center of ancient architecture amazes with its beauty preserved in its original form. The main attractions of the city are the Golden Gate, erected in 1164, the Assumption Cathedral, painted by Andrei Rublev in the 12th century, and Demetrius Cathedral, famous for its white stone carvings. These are not all the historical and architectural monuments that Vladimir is rich in.
Famed for warriors
All the cities of the Golden Ring amaze and fascinate with their original Russian beauty. Some occupy special niches. Thus, the city of Murom, instead of which Ivanovo sometimes appears in the list of 8 cities, is oldest city Russia. He, mentioned in the Tale of Bygone Years, remained pagan for a very long time. After the murder of Yaroslav the Wise's great-grandson Mikhail in Murom, his father, his grandfather's namesake, Prince Yaroslav besieged the city, and, taking it, forcibly baptized the inhabitants in 1097. Murom was destroyed by Batu, later it was plundered three times by the Tatars, it was plundered in Troubled times, but his soldiers were always in the forefront of the defenders of the Motherland. Murom city
gave Rus' the most famous hero Ilya Muromets.
Handsome Suzdal
Just to list the monasteries, churches and bell towers of Suzdal, the museum under open air, not even a page is enough. Ancient monastery walls, bell towers and gate churches - dozens of beautiful objects represent Russian architecture from the 12th to the 19th centuries. The city of Suzdal has a special attraction. White stone churches and ancient monuments, of which there are up to 200 in the city-museum, are under the protection of UNESCO. This beautiful city was first mentioned in chronicles from 1024. Now it is doing everything to attract more tourists. Street vendors selling souvenirs and mead, buffoons and horse-drawn carriages have created an atmosphere of endless celebration in the city.
Veliky Novgorod, due to its remoteness, is not included in the Golden Ring of Russia.
Ancient cities of Russia that lived long life and existing today, make it possible to trace the history of our country, the stages of its formation and development. Having gone through the trials of centuries, they managed to survive and preserve unique historical monuments architecture and culture. The preserved earthen ramparts, fortress walls, ancient cathedrals and monasteries testify to the former power of ancient Rus' and the talent of the artisans. Traveling through these cities leaves indelible and incomparable impressions. In the north-west of the country is " silver ring Russia", which includes the great ancient Russian cities of Veliky Novgorod and Pskov. Thousands of kilometers are traveled by tourists in order to see the Kizhi Pogost and Valaam Monastery in Karelia, the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery in the Vologda region and the pearl of the White Sea region - the Solovetsky Islands. Tourist centers of the Volga region are, based at the confluence of the Volga and Oka, Nizhny Novgorod, the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan is Kazan, the hero city of Volgograd and the ancient Volga cities of Samara and Saratov.
The date of the city's establishment is usually considered to be the first mention of it in the chronicle. But archaeological excavations often push it further back into the depths of centuries. The longer a city exists, the more trials it faces. Many of them started their history “from scratch” more than once. But not all cities managed to recover. And all that remains of them is a mention in the chronicle and the remains of ancient fortifications. For example, traces of disappeared cities are preserved in the area west of Moscow.
The most ancient Russian cities are the five cities of the historical core of Russia: which had the same significance in Ancient Rus' as Kyiv -, which connected the largest Russian cities of Novgorod and Kyiv -, the capitals of large principalities - and, as well as Belozersk, where, according to legend, one “sat” from the Rurikovich brothers - Sineus. But the most ancient city on the territory of the Russian Federation is Derbent, founded in 438.
If we distribute all the time of formation existing cities Russia, it turns out that 56 cities arose before the Mongol-Tatar yoke, and 111 cities appeared in the process of overcoming the political fragmentation of Rus' during the formation of a centralized state.
Kremlins and fortresses, cathedrals and monasteries, palaces and estates, factory buildings from the industrial heyday create a unique historical atmosphere of ancient cities. Some historic cities acquire their individuality through the predominance of one architectural style. But for all their diversity and uniqueness, they also have common features. Firstly, most ancient Russian cities were built at the spit - at the confluence of the river with its tributaries. Secondly, in the middle zone, cities were built mainly on the high bank of the river. Their layout was subject to the terrain. Temples were built on the highest places. And the core of the city - the fortress - occupied a hard-to-reach place, protected by ravines and steep river banks. The streets of ancient cities are characterized by curvature, which has certain artistic merits. Thirdly, embankments in a Russian city located on a river, as a rule, played the role of a facade, the face of the city, one might say, its business card. Ancient Russian city planners skillfully used the features of the landscape and created beautiful cities that were in harmony with the surrounding nature.
Great importance for ancient cities in Rus' there were monasteries. They were not only places of religious worship, but also cultural and educational centers. As well as the place of residence of noble and royal persons in different periods of history. So, for example, in , which is located not far from Kostroma, Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov lived for some time. It was here that he received the news of his election to the throne. Since then, the Romanov family began to honor this monastery as their family shrine. During the turbulent time of enemy raids and princely civil strife, the monasteries protected the city residents. Often settlements that arose around monasteries became cities. The cities of Cherepovets, Pechory, Pokrov, Valdai, Kirzhach developed around the monasteries. laid the foundation for Sergiev Posad. became the ovary of the city of Istra. The city of Kirillov was formed around it.
The outstanding achievements of medieval town planning are the Kremlins, within which the most significant structures of the city were erected. preserved and decorate Moscow, Veliky Novgorod, Pskov, Smolensk, Rostov the Great, Tula, Zaraysk, Tobolsk, Kazan, Astrakhan, Nizhny Novgorod. Russian architecture contributed huge contribution to the glorification of Russia. Few cities in the world can boast of architectural structures that are unique in nature. There are a huge number of them in Russian cities. Temples, cathedrals, monasteries - each with its own history, its own unique beauty.
