10,000-year-old Tower of Jericho is among the earliest monumental stone structures

Ancient Megastructures Described in the Bible
Source: Ancient Megastructures Described in the Bible by Universe Inside You

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The Tower of Jericho, built around 8000 BCE—roughly 10,000 years ago—is among the earliest known monumental stone structures. Standing about 26–28 ft (8–8.5 m) high, the cylindrical tower is roughly 28–30 ft (8.5–9 m) across at the base and tapers to 23 ft (7 m) at the top. Its walls are about 5 ft (1.5 m) thick, with 22 stone steps inside. The video estimates that construction required about 11,000 labor days and argues that the staircase aligns with the summer-solstice sunset, suggesting ritual and astronomical significance. Jericho’s excavated defenses include successive stone and mud-brick fortifications.

Key facts

  • Jericho’s excavated defenses include stone foundations, mud-brick walls and successive fortifications built during different periods of its long history.
  • The Tower of Jericho dates to around 8000 BCE, roughly 10,000 years ago, making it one of the earliest known monumental stone structures.
  • The cylindrical tower stands roughly 26–28 ft (8–8.5 m) high, measures about 28–30 ft (8.5–9 m) across at the base and tapers to approximately 23 ft (7 m) at the top.
  • Its walls are around 5 ft (1.5 m) thick, with an internal staircase comprising 22 stone steps.
  • The video estimates that construction required approximately 11,000 labor days, excluding planning and quarrying.
  • The video argues that the staircase points toward a nearby mountain and aligns with the summer-solstice sunset, suggesting ritual and astronomical significance.
  • Jericho is among the earliest known settlements associated with large communal stone defenses.

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Sources

Tower of Jericho - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
The Tower of Jericho is an 8.5-metre-tall (28 ft) stone structure built in the Pre-Pottery Neolithic A period around 8000 BC.
52 Tower Of Jericho Stock Photos and High-Res Imagesgettyimages.com
Tower Of Jericho Images and Stock Photos. Browse 52 tower of jericho photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more photos and images.
Tower of Jericho - Madain Project (en)madainproject.com
Built during the Pre-Pottery Neolithic A (PPNA) period around 8000 BCE, the undressed stone tower, placed in the centre of the west side of the tell, contained ...
Casting a shadow on Neolithic Jericho - Antiquity Journalantiquity.ac.uk
The Neolithic tower of Jericho is one of the earliest stone-built monuments in the history of humankind. It was constructed some 11 000 years ago
Jericho (article) | Neolithic sites | Khan Academykhanacademy.org
Archaeologists discovered one uniquely large building dating to the period with unique series of plastered interior pits and basins as well as domed adjoining ...
The Walls of Jericho in the Biblefirmisrael.org
Dimensions of Jericho's Walls: · Outer Wall Height: About 13–15 feet (4–5 meters) high · Outer Wall Thickness: About 6 feet (1.8 meters) thick ...
Jericho: 10K year-old tower sets world record as oldest ...tektonministries.org
Dame Kenyon found a cylindrical stone tower about 26 feet high and 28 feet in diameter just inside the oldest Jericho walls.
File:Tower of Jericho.jpgcommons.wikimedia.org
File:Tower of Jericho.jpg ... Size of this preview: 960 × 720 pixels. Other resolutions: 330 × 248 pixels | 1,280 × 960 pixels | 2,592 × 1,944 pixels.
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