Which was the First City in the World? Check Its Location!

Have you ever wondered where the world’s first city was born? Archaeologists widely recognise a city that is located in southern Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq). It is known as the first true city in human history. Do you know it emerged around 4500 BCE? It wasn’t just any settlement but a full-blown metropolis, home to tens of thousands of people, monumental architecture, and the very first writing system. 

Are you ready to know which city this is? Keep reading the blog to find the hidden gem. 

(Credits: Western Sydney Edu)

Which Was the First City in the World?

Uruk is known as the first city in the world situated in ancient Mesopotamia. It is now located in modern-day Iraq. One of the major reasons why it is called as the first city is early urbanisation with a stratified society and the invention of writing (cuneiform). Moreover, it developed into a large urban centre around 4000 BCE. While other early settlements like Jericho and Çatalhöyük existed, Uruk is recognised as the first "city" due to its cultural impact. 

Why is Uruk considered the First City?

According to sources like World History Encyclopedia, Uruk was founded around 4500 BCE and evolved into an advanced urban centre during the Uruk period (c. 4100–2900 BCE). Further, the Metropolitan Museum of Art notes that by about 3200–3100 BCE, Uruk featured monumental mud-brick architecture, large temples, and the earliest evidence of writing. All of these developments are a major cornerstone of city life.

Scholars also credit Uruk with the foundation of social hierarchy, religious institutions, and administrative systems and all the components vital to urban life.

But Was It Really the First?

According to Sumerian myth and some archaeological interpretations, Eridu is another ancient Mesopotamian city that may have been established even earlier, around 5400 BCE. However, many historians argue that while Eridu was spiritually significant, it lacked the scale and political structure that make Uruk a “city” by modern definitions.

Key Facts About Innovations of Uruk

The key facts about innovations of Uruk include: 

• Writing: Uruk is often credited with the invention of cuneiform, which is the first known system of writing. It was used to record trade, laws, and stories.

• Architecture: The city gave rise to monumental stone and mud-brick buildings including early ziggurats, which served as temple towers.

• Social Structure: Uruk’s growth spurred the development of specialisation: artisans, priests, scribes, and administrators all lived in urban complexity.

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To conclude, Uruk stands out in history as the first real city, which is a place where writing, bureaucracy, religion, and architecture converged. While Eridu may have sparked the idea of “civilised living,” Uruk turned it into a thriving reality. Exploring the story of Uruk helps us understand how urban civilisation truly began.

People there transitioned rural agricultural communities into sophisticated and permanent urban societies. Uruk isn’t just a historical curiosity, but it’s a turning point in human social organisation, administration, and culture.

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