In the Hebrew Bible, elders and judges are often described as sitting at the city gate, a location that evidently functioned as a sort of public square. The recent discovery of one such structure from the putative era of Abraham stands to change historians’ perspective on urban life in ancient Israel, as Melanie Lidman writes:
Archaeologists have uncovered the oldest known gate in Israel, a 5,500-year-old imposing stone and mud-brick passageway to the ancient city of Tel Erani, the Israel Antiquities Authority announced Tuesday. The gate’s discovery near the central city of Kiryat Gat has forced archaeologists to reconsider when urbanization began in the region, now saying it was likely centuries earlier than previously believed.
The ancient city of Tel Erani is one of the first examples of urbanization in Israel. Around 150 dunams (150,000 square meters or 37 acres), it was settled in the Early Bronze Period, starting around 3,300 BCE, and abandoned at the end of the Early Bronze Period, around 2,500 BCE.
At Tel Erani, archaeologists have uncovered evidence of urbanization, including public buildings, city planning such as streets and fortification walls, a possible drainage system, and “social stratification,” meaning that some people had nicer homes than others, based on their status.
Read more on Times of Israel: https://www.timesofisrael.com/discovery-of-israels-oldest-gate-resets-clock-on-local-urbanization-by-centuries/