The Story of Tell Brak: The First City in Human History

On February 28, 1934, a book titled Murder in the Calais Coach was released in the UK and the US. You may recognize it better as Murder on the Orient Express, penned by renowned author Agatha Christie.

Readers who have delved into this novel would affirm its place as a timeless classic in detective literature. But why are we discussing a detective story in a piece about the first city in history?

The connection lies with Max Mallowan, the lead archaeologist who excavated a site in Northern Syria between 1937 and 1938. This area was initially seen as a prehistoric settlement but was ultimately recognized as one of the earliest cities in existence.

Beyond his archaeological prowess, Mallowan is known for being Agatha Christie’s husband. Christie accompanied him during the excavations and chronicled her experiences in her autobiographical work Come, Tell Me How You Live. Her fascination with archaeology led her to join her husband in the field, unaware that they had uncovered the world’s first city.

Understanding the Earliest Cities in History

Previously, I discussed some of the oldest cities recorded in history, such as Jericho, Aleppo, and Byblos, which all vie for the title of the oldest major city. In this narrative, we will focus on the world’s earliest city.

You might ask, “What distinguishes the oldest cities from the earliest ones?”

The “earliest cities” refer to the first urban centers established by humans, regardless of whether they are currently inhabited. Examples include Thebes and Memphis, which were pivotal in ancient Egyptian civilization.

Conversely, “oldest cities” are those still inhabited today.

When Mallowan and his team commenced their excavation at Tell Brak, they were unaware of the groundbreaking discovery they were about to make. Before World War II, there was significant debate surrounding what constituted an urban center.

In the 1950s, Australian archaeologist Gordon V. Childe proposed criteria for identifying a city. While archaeological methods have evolved since then, many of Childe’s principles remain relevant today.

According to Childe, a city should feature a dense population, impressive structures like governmental buildings, evidence of trade with foreign lands, a hierarchical social structure, advancements in arts and sciences, and a system of writing.

Childe's framework helps clarify why Jericho is not considered the earliest city despite its long habitation. Jericho only transitioned into an urban center in the third millennium BC, while Tell Brak had already emerged as a significant city by that time.

The Rise and Fall of Tell Brak

Although excavations at Tell Brak began in the 1930s, a modern investigation was not initiated until 1976, led by archaeologist David Oates. Tell Brak started as a small village in the seventh millennium BC and expanded to 55 acres by the end of the fifth millennium BC, encircled by a well-defined city wall.

Experts assert that during this period, Tell Brak was a thriving urban center featuring paved roads, social stratification, and the early stages of monumental architecture. Archaeologists discovered a significant structure from the early 4th millennium BC known as the "Eye Temple," where various figurines were unearthed.

The role of these artifacts remains somewhat enigmatic. They are believed to represent the deity Belet Nagar, or "Lady of Nagar," after which Tell Brak was later named. Numerous Mesopotamian texts document the worship of Belet Nagar and pilgrimages to Tell Brak.

Some scholars propose that the eye figures might symbolize the goddess Inanna, significant in southern Mesopotamia, theorizing that both deities represent fertility. However, there is insufficient evidence to solidify this claim, suggesting that Belet Nagar was likely a local deity attracting worshippers from a broader region.

The Belet Nagar cult transformed Tell Brak into a critical religious center in the ancient Near East.

By 3800 BC, the city had grown to 130 hectares. Evidence indicates that long-distance trade with southern Mesopotamia may have begun around 3600 BC, with Uruk establishing a trade colony in Tell Brak by 3000 BC.

Around 2600 BC, Tell Brak, then known as Nagar, evolved into a vital commercial hub. Artifacts from this period suggest the existence of an important administrative center called the "Brak Oval."

References to Tell Brak appear in the Ebla tablets found in Syria, indicating that the ruler of Tell Brak was referred to as "En," though no further details are provided. One Ebla text mentions Mari-II, the king of Nagar, as the only known monarch from Tell Brak.

Nagar maintained diplomatic relations with the kingdom of Ebla, as evidenced by texts revealing both trade alliances and military conflicts. One tablet recounts the victory of the Ebalite ruler Ikrab-Damu over Nagar.

Nagar faced destruction at the hands of the Akkadians around 2300 BC, coinciding with the rise of Sargon of Akkad and the Akkadian empire, which later rebuilt the city. Archaeologists have unearthed the palace of Naram-Sin, Sargon's grandson and the third ruler of the Sargonid dynasty, at Tell Brak.

The Akkadian conquest diminished Nagar’s political influence. Following the Akkadian empire's fall, the Hurrians, a group from northern Mesopotamia, took control of Tell Brak. Eventually, a faction known as the Mitanni, with a ruling elite speaking Sanskrit, incorporated the city into their domain.

The Mitanni emerged as a formidable force in the Near East, defeating the Assyrians and forging marital alliances with powerful Egyptian pharaohs. Remnants of Mitanni palaces are still visible at Tell Brak today.

The Assyrians eventually overthrew the Mitanni in the 14th century BC, leading to political instability as they sacked the city twice. While archaeological evidence suggests that Tell Brak thrived during the Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, and Sassanid Persian eras, its prominence had waned.

The site was abandoned during the early Abbasid Caliphate in the 8th century and was never repopulated afterward. The last known inhabitants were the Abbasids, who constructed a canal to supply water and connect the town to the adjacent Jaghjagh River.

Historically, Uruk was believed to be the oldest metropolis. However, the findings at Tell Brak compel us to reassess this notion. New archaeological discoveries like Tell Brak challenge our preconceptions.

What if future finds bring Tell Brak's status into question? Where might such a discovery occur?

While Tell Brak is acknowledged as the earliest city in human history, the quest for the oldest city remains complex and nuanced. Interested in learning more? Check out the story below.

The debate is far from settled.

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