Archaeolgists Locate 'World's Oldest Street'

Originally posted on Men's Journal | By Declan Gallagher | Last updated Sep 5, 2025 9:59 AM ET

Archaeologists unearthing a site known as Canhasan 3 Höyük, located within Turkey's Karaman province, have uncovered “the world’s oldest-known street,” which dates back 9,750 years, according to Ancient Origins.

Predates Former Oldest Street by Hundreds of Years

This latest discovery predates what was formerly thought to be the world’s oldest street, which was discovered at the Çatalhöyük settlement, by at least 750 years and has challenged what most researchers believed about the advancement of early urban planning in Neolithic settlements. Researchers believe, based upon this evidence, that early urban planning concepts which soon gave way to our modern methods were already present in Neolithic Anatolia nearly 10,000 years ago.

The structures were organized in a passageway leading from home to home. The houses themselves were roof-accessed homes with minimal external organization, all of them built very close to one another. The construction of the community is a great insight into how early communities transitioned from primitive agricultural centers to urban towns.

Passageways Found Connecting the Homes

Archaeologists uncovered an underground passageway which connected two of the homes, an intentional effort to build communal and/or functional space which was not often present during this time in Neolithic Anatolia. The passageways between the home, researchers posit, were likely built to be used as passing alleys for humans and livestock, the earliest-known examples of modern street development.

Excavations Set to Continue

Excavations will continue at the site for the foreseeable future as archaeologists work to uncover more evidence which will shed light on the daily lives, social interactions, and practices of the Neolithic peoples. Researchers are particularly eager to discover if the streets found possessed some sort of symbolic religious or communal experience, or if they were simply passageways as most streets are today. Scientists will analyze a variety of factors including architecture, artifacts, and environmental conditions in an attempt to reconstruct how the Neolithic Anatolians lived.

This article first appeared on Men's Journal and was syndicated with permission.

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