What Makes Urban Life Possible?

This article introduces and explains a novel concept – the urban-rural system – as a means for addressing the question, what makes urban life possible? To address this question, the authors examine the archaeological record from the first agrarian villages, market towns, and eventual first cities that arose during the late Paleolithic through early Neolithic world of the Fertile Crescent (roughly modern-day Syria and Iraq). Following this, they reflect on what the ancient record can teach us about urban dependency on rural resources and how this shapes environmental, economic, political, and cultural dynamics. They conclude with brief consideration of the contemporary utility of the urban-rural system concept, emphasizing the continued need urban populations have for rural resources.