Archaeologists from the German Archaeological Institute have discovered the remains of three large settlements from the Bronze Age in the desert region of Jordan, Haaretz reports.
It is reported that well-preserved remains of beautifully landscaped cities were unearthed during excavations on the edge of a volcanic desert in northeastern Jordan, near the Syrian border.
Archaeologists have established that the settlements were reliably fortified. They had efficient irrigation systems for collecting rainwater and irrigating hanging gardens on artificial terraces. Radiocarbon analysis showed that the settlements were built between 4000 and 3500 BC, that is, about a thousand years before the appearance of the Egyptian pyramids.
Scientists do not yet know what kind of people built them. But they note a high level of development of the ancient inhabitants, since the engineering structures created by them are comparable to the achievements of the Sumerian civilization.
According to the head of the expedition, Dr. Bernd Müller-Neuhof, Java was still considered the most eastern and most ancient city in these places. However, the settlements discovered may well be older. The researchers intend to continue excavations.
Denis Peredelsky