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Near the Quweiq river valley, about 25 km north of Aleppo, northern Syria. 30 km east of the Turkish border. Exists one of the oldest permanent settlements in the world.

Tell Qaramel is mainly known for its pre-pottery neolithic a (PPNA) and early PPNB periods. Roughly 10,900–8,700 years ago. Or, 8900–6700 BCE.

Excavations were led by Ryszard Mazurowski and Jolanta Mazurowska, of the Polish–Syrian expedition, University of Warsaw and the Syrian Directorate of Antiquities.

Tell Qaramel’s claim to fame is its series of stone towers. There are five in total, built before pottery existed
The towers were circular, up to 7 m in diameter, and used lime-plastered floors

Houses were made of stone foundations with mudbrick walls. They were often rebuilt in layers over centuries
This indicates a long-term sedentary community, not a nomadic camp.

People used stone bowls, grinding slabs, bone tools, and bitumen-lined baskets and containers because fired pottery had not been invented yet

Flint tools (blades, arrowheads, sickles) show advanced knapping technology. And, obsidian artifacts found here indicate trade connections with nearby Anatolia

There’s no direct evidence of boat-building at Tell Qaramel
However, given its proximity to the Quweiq River, simple rafts or log boats were very likely. They may have used bundled reeds or dugout canoes for local transport and small-scale trade. Similar to the Euphrates, and those known from other near eastern neolithic contexts.

There is evidence of obsidian trade from Cappadocia. As well as, marine shells possibly from the Mediterranean
Suggesting almost 11,000 years ago. They had long-distance exchange networks. It was probably the form of reciprocal gifting networks, not market systems.

The site also sits at the threshold of the agricultural revolution
There was evidence for wild cereals (barley, wheat) use, but not full domestication. They also hunted gazelle, wild cattle (aurochs), boar, and deer.

Bones of canids found that showed early domesticated traits
Domesticated sheep and goats appear in later levels (around 8500 BCE).

Its population size may have been around 100–300 people during its early occupation. Possibly more (up to 500) when the settlement reached its architectural peak
Evidence suggests multi-generational continuity and a socially stable community.

There’s no direct “game board” found. We know they had carved stone objects and figurines of human and animals. Suggesting ritual or symbolic activities. And that’s what they did for fun
They also likely engaged in storytelling, singing, dancing, communal feasts, and ritual gatherings in the towers. Beads, pendants, and pigments (ochre) were used. Personal ornamentation and ritual painting could have been entertainment and identity expression.

Did you know? Tell Qaramel maybe the site of the oldest human decapitation in the eastern world (1)

Because of the Syrian Civil War, dictatorship (Assad regime), and UN human rights complaints, archaeological work in Syria faces many issues
Sites are now in restricted zones. Many are under survailence, or UN restrictions. There is looting and damage. And, field records maybe incomplete.

Of course there maybe some issues. It’s one of the oldest permanent settlements in the world. Check out tell Qaramel, and some more neolithic architecture today.

Cite: KANJOU, Y., KUIJT, I., ERDAL, Y. S. and KONDO, O. 2013 Early Human Decapitation, 11,700-10,700 cal BP, within the Pre-Pottery Neolithic Village of Tell Qaramel, North Syria, International Journal of
Osteoarchaeology 25: 743-752

Bibliography: KANJOU, Y., GAWROŃSKA, J. and GRABAREK, A. 2012 Human and animal graves in Tell Qaramel. In: R. F. Mazurowski and Y. Kanjou (eds), Tell Qaramel 1999-2007. Protoneolithic and Early Pre-pottery Neolithic Settlement in Northern Syria: Preliminary Results of Syrian-Polish Archaeological Excavations 1999-2007: 60-71. Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology 2, Warsaw, University of Warsaw

MAZUROWSKI, R. F., MICHCZYNSKA, D. J., PAZDUR, A. and PIOTROWSKA, N. 2009 Chronology of the early pre-pottery Neolithic settlement Tell Qaramel, northern Syria, in the light of radiocarbon dating, Radiocarbon 51: 771-781