Some 2.5km/1.5mi northwest of Jericho's central square is the tel (man-made hill) which marks the site of ancient Jericho. On the tel of Jericho, standing 21m/69ft high and covering an area of 40,000sq.m/44,000sq.yd, Kathleen Kenyon identified in the 1950s 23 occupation levels. The oldest traces of human settlement date from around 8000 B.C. To the ordinary visitor the remains of this early period in human history will not appear particularly sensational. The most noticeable feature is the broad trench which the archaeologists cut through the hill in order to investigate the various occupation levels down to undisturbed soil. In the trench can be seen remains of the Neolithic town of around 7000 B.C., consisting of a section of the town wall and the 9m/30ft high round tower built against it.
