Civilization / Foundations of Civilization

Settlement & Cities

With farming people settle down: villages, food stores and finally cities such as Uruk (~3500 BC).

The first permanent settlements such as Jericho and later Çatalhöyük (~7000 BC, several thousand inhabitants) followed the start of farming. Surplus food supports craftspeople, priests and officials who do not grow food themselves. Uruk in Mesopotamia is regarded as one of the first true cities and is where writing and bureaucracy emerged.