Retaining　wall　construction　often　encounters　narrow　cohesive　backfill　and　the　traditional　theories　are　no　longer　suitable.　Hence,　analytical　solutions　for　active　earth　pressure　of　narrow　cohesive　backfill　on　a　rigid　retaining　wall　rotating　about　the　bottom　are　proposed　in　this　paper.　The　principle　stress　rotation　caused　by　interface　friction　is　also　included.　Through　a　typical　FEM　analysis　and　analytical　derivation,　the　multi-segmented　failure　surface　composed　of　a　logarithmic　spiral　curve　in　the　lower　part　and　a　tangent　line　in　the　upper　part　is　quantitatively　determined.　According　to　the　aspect　ratio　of　the　narrow　backfill,　three　basic　failure　models　of　the　narrow　cohesive　backfill　are　found　together　with　three　types　of　differential　elements.　A　program　is　coded　to　automatically　identify　these　three　failure　models　to　quickly　obtain　the　distribution,　the　resultant　and　the　application　point　of　the　active　earth　pressure.　The　proposed　analytical　solutions　are　then　verified　through　a　two-step　procedure　of　elaborate　comparisons　with　the　FEM　results　and　good　agreements　are　observed.　Subsequently,　a　parametric　investigation　indicates　the　active　earth　pressure　is　positively　correlated　to　the　aspect　ratio　and　slope　inclination　angle,　while　is　negatively　correlated　to　the　soil　cohesion　and　interface　friction.　(C)　2020　Production　and　hosting　by　Elsevier　B.V.　on　behalf　of　The　Japanese　Geotechnical　Society.