Urkesh

"Urkesh, today a small village known as Tell Mozan, was a major political and religious center of the Hurrians – an elusive population of the ancient Near East. Our excavations have shown that they had developed a strong urban civilization, at the very dawn of history, some 5000 years ago. A temple dominated the ancient skyline, at the top of a built-up terrace that rivaled the nearby mountains. A large royal palace, currently under excavation, has yielded written evidence that has allowed us to identify the ancient city."