The fortified city, called Al-Natah, was home to at least 500 people who were once nomads but would go on to contruct at least 50 multi-story buildings in 2400 BC, DailyMail.com reported. The 269,000-square-foot settlement was hidden in the desert oasis of Khaybar in the Arabian peninsula that was previously thought to be a barren wasteland dotted with tombs and nomads.

Recent discoveries suggest that Al-Natah may have been an egalitarian society, with no social hierarchy and equal treatment of all people regardless of gender, race, class, or wealth. The earliest known city in human history, Çatalhöyük, housed about 10,000 people and existed in modern-day Turkey from 7400 BC to 5200 BC.

Al-Natah was initially discovered 15 years ago when researchers used satellite imagery to reveal paths and the foundations of houses. A 3D rendering of the city showed about 50 dwellings, although the actual number could range between 55 and 70 houses. The structures' thickness and design suggest most were two or three stories tall, with foundations likely used for storage or crawl spaces.

The city was abandoned between 1500 BC and 1300 BC for reasons still unknown, though researchers speculate that disease, climate deterioration, or a return to nomadic life may have driven them away.

Read the full story at ART News