Geographies of Early Urbanism

Researchers seek to understand which strategies enable cities to persist in the face of economic, ecological, and demographic stressors. Archaeology, able to trace urban adaptations over the course of centuries and even millennia, is uniquely well placed to provide relevant insights. This project assesses whether human and animal mobility and migration are necessary elements of durable urbanism, particularly in fragile and ecologically dynamic settings. Focusing on a region where large cities persisted for millennia in environments characterized by dramatic shifts in water availability and soils highly vulnerable to salinization, the research team tests whether early cities relied on immigration to sustain their populations and on long-distance pastoralism to support their economies. Throughout the research, student training and engagement with diverse publics in multiple countries advances public scientific literacy and global STEM education, maximizing the practical as well as ethical value of archaeological research. In order to determine whether mobility and migration are required elements of urban success, an international team examines the geographical origins and mobility of human and animal populations associated with durable urban settlement on a premodern floodplain. Isotopic analyses of skeletal remains enable scientists to trace ancient organisms’ mobility and migration in regions where baseline maps of isotope values are available. The research team creates the first strontium, neodymium, and lead isotope map of the region generating an open-access tool that establishes a foundation for ongoing and future isotope research in the region. The team uses this map to determine whether isotope values in remains recovered from one ancient city are consistent with urban reliance on immigration and specialized mobile pastoralism. The project thus (a) supports regional multidisciplinary isotope research, (b) determines whether premodern urban adaptations inherently encompass significant levels of mobility and migration, and (c) creates scientific training opportunities while enhancing global STEM engagement. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.