The Mother of Ancient City and the World’s Growing Cities: An Archaeological Study

This study investigates the origins, development, and legacy of ancient urban centres—termed the “Mother of Ancient Cities”—through a comprehensive archaeological lens, and connects these insights to the trajectories of contemporary global urbanisation. Drawing from archaeological case studies in Mesopotamia, the Indus Valley, ancient Egypt, Mesoamerica, and elsewhere, the research highlights the infrastructural, religious, and socio-political innovations of early cities. It explores how ancient urban models inform present-day urban planning and resilience strategies while critically examining urban decline and collapse. The study adopts an interdisciplinary methodology, integrating archaeological data, urban theory, and comparative analysis to offer a reframed narrative of urban evolution—not as a linear progression, but as a cyclical, adaptive, and culturally diverse phenomenon. Emphasising the relevance of ancient experiences in the context of rapid modern urban expansion and environmental challenges, this research contributes to a deeper understanding of how past urban forms can guide sustainable and inclusive future cities.