Jericho Tower and Pre-Pottery Neolithic Jericho

Record summary

AI-recalled lead: The tower and wall at Tell es-Sultan, ancient Jericho, are frequently presented as an early example of monumental construction. The remains are useful for comparing explanations involving defense, flood control, communal labor, ritual, and social signaling. Kathleen Kenyon’s excavations revised earlier interpretations and chronology, while later reassessments have questioned whether the wall was defensive and how the structure functioned. The lead is identifiable through excavation reports and radiocarbon studies, but its meaning cannot be inferred simply from its size or biblical association.