It seems that civilization keeps getting older and older. Göbekli Tepe, a Mesolithic archaeological site in southeastern Turkey, is at present the world’s oldest ceremonial center, its numerous T-shaped megaliths predating iconic Stonehenge by some 6,000 years.
Is Göbekli Tepe the oldest religious site in the world?
Schmidt's view was that Göbekli Tepe is a stone-age mountain sanctuary. Radiocarbon dating as well as comparative, stylistical analysis indicate that it is the oldest religious site yet discovered anywhere.
When was Göbekli Tepe first discovered?
Before being documented by archaeologists, the hill Göbekli Tepe stands on, known locally in Kurdish as Girê Mirazan or Xerabreşk, was considered a sacred place. The archaeological site was first noted in a survey conducted by Istanbul University and the University of Chicago in 1963.
What is the significance of Göbekli Tepe in Turkey?
On a hill known as Göbekli Tepe (“Potbelly Hill”) in southeastern Turkey, excavations led by Klaus Schmidt uncovered several large megalithic enclosures that date between 10,000 and 8000 B.C.E., the dawn of civilization and the Neolithic age.
Did Göbekli Tepe form a new form of Skull Cult?
"Modified human crania from Göbekli Tepe provide evidence for a new form of Neolithic skull cult". Science Advances. 3 (6): e1700564. Bibcode: 2017SciA....3E0564G. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.1700564. ISSN 2375-2548. PMC 5489262. PMID 28782013. Güler, Gül; Çelik, Bahattin; Güler, Mustafa (2013).
What is older than Göbekli Tepe?
Discoveries at Boncuklu Tarla in southeastern Mardin are around 1,000 years older than those in Gobeklitepe, says professor. The latest archeologic excavations in southeastern Turkey discovered an ancient site older than Gobeklitepe, known as the oldest temple in the world, according to a Turkish university rector.
Is Göbekli Tepe the oldest civilization?
Gobekli Tepe is the oldest man-made place of worship yet discovered, dating back to 10,000 BCE. Found in the cradle of civilization, “Göbekli Tepe” (Potbelly Hill in English) is rightfully named.
Is Göbekli Tepe older than Mesopotamia?
Dated at around 9,500BC, these stones are 5,500 years older than the first cities of Mesopotamia, and 7,000 years older than Stonehenge.
What civilization lived in Göbekli Tepe?
NeolithicGöbekli Tepe (Turkish: [gœbecˈli teˈpe], literally "Potbelly Hill") is a Neolithic archaeological site in the Southeastern Anatolia Region of Turkey. Dated to the Pre-Pottery Neolithic, between c....Göbekli Tepe.HistoryFoundedc. 9500 BCEAbandonedc. 8000 BCEPeriodsPre-Pottery Neolithic A Pre-Pottery Neolithic BSite notes20 more rows
What is the oldest civilization in the world?
The Sumerian civilizationThe Sumerian civilization is the oldest civilization known to mankind. The term Sumer is today used to designate southern Mesopotamia. In 3000 BC, a flourishing urban civilization existed. The Sumerian civilization was predominantly agricultural and had community life.
Is Göbekli Tepe older than pyramids?
At around 12,000 years old, Göbekli Tepe in south-east Turkey has been billed as the world's oldest temple. It is many millennia older than Stonehenge or Egypt's great pyramids, built in the pre-pottery Neolithic period before writing or the wheel.
What are the 4 oldest civilization?
The four oldest civilizations are Mesopotamia, Egypt, the Indus valley, and China as they provided the basis for continuous cultural development in the same geographic location.
Who was the first civilization?
MesopotamiaSumer, located in Mesopotamia, is the first known complex civilization, having developed the first city-states in the 4th millennium BCE.
What are the 6 ancient civilizations?
The 6 Earliest Human CivilizationsMesopotamia, 4000-3500 B.C. ... Ancient Egypt, 3100 B.C. ... Ancient India, 3300 B.C. ... Ancient China, 2000 B.C. ... Ancient Peru, 1200 B.C. ... Ancient Mesoamerica, 1200 B.C. ... 7 Little-Known Wonders of the Ancient World.
Is Göbekli Tepe the Garden of Eden?
Located in modern Turkey, Göbekli Tepe is one of the most important archaeological sites in the world. The discovery of this stunning 10,000 year old site in the 1990s CE sent shock waves through the archaeological world and beyond, with some researchers even claiming it was the site of the biblical Garden of Eden.
What is the oldest ruins on earth?
The stone wall at the entrance of Theopetra Cave in Greece is the oldest ruins in the world — it is believed to be the oldest man-made structure ever found. Archaeologists think that the wall may have been built as a barrier to protect the cave's residents from the cold winds at the height of the last ice age.
What destroyed Göbekli Tepe?
Naturally, Göbekli Tepe is at the center of Hancock's work, and his postulation is that this was not the birth of civilization, but rather a rebirth of civilization facilitated by the transfer of knowledge to neolithic hunter gatherers from members of this advanced society, most of whom were wiped out by a global ...
What was the first human civilization?
MesopotamiaCivilizations first appeared in Mesopotamia (what is now Iraq) and later in Egypt. Civilizations thrived in the Indus Valley by about 2500 BCE, in China by about 1500 BCE and in Central America (what is now Mexico) by about 1200 BCE.
What is the oldest ruins on earth?
The stone wall at the entrance of Theopetra Cave in Greece is the oldest ruins in the world — it is believed to be the oldest man-made structure ever found. Archaeologists think that the wall may have been built as a barrier to protect the cave's residents from the cold winds at the height of the last ice age.
What is the oldest known archaeological site in the world?
In 2012, following several decades of research and excavations, researchers revealed that humans were living in Theopetra Cave over 135,000 years ago, making it the oldest archaeological site in the world.
Is Göbekli Tepe the Garden of Eden?
Located in modern Turkey, Göbekli Tepe is one of the most important archaeological sites in the world. The discovery of this stunning 10,000 year old site in the 1990s CE sent shock waves through the archaeological world and beyond, with some researchers even claiming it was the site of the biblical Garden of Eden.
How old is Göbekli Tepe?
It is now understood that Göbekli Tepe was built in various stages. After one stone circle complex was completed, it was covered up, and a new one built. This mysterious feature of the site is entirely without explanation.
Who discovered the Göbekli Tepe?
The first whispers of Göbekli Tepe came when local farmers found limestone poking out of the ground. In 1963, archeologist Peter Benedict conducted the first survey of the site. He described a “complex of round-topped knolls of red earth.”. Benedict was correct, but only in the most superficial way.
What happened at Göbekli Tepe?
In trying to find the age of Göbekli Tepe, carbon dating revealed a strange trend.
How long did the messages stored at Göbekli Tepe last?
The messages stored at Göbekli Tepe laid dormant for nearly 10 000 years. Whoever built it was successful in saving whatever it was they were trying to preserve.
What is the oldest megalithic structure?
Göbekli Tepe is the oldest megalithic structure ever found on earth. Discovered in modern-day Turkey, and still yet to be fully excavated, it dates to a baffling 12,000 years old. It’s not just the oldest site; it’s also the largest. Situated on a flat, barren plateau, the site is a spectacular 90,000 square meters.
Why is Göbekli Tepe important?
What makes this site so important is that it appears in the area of the world that the first signs of civilization and culture arise. It coincides perfectly with the agricultural revolution. These were the first people to plant and farm crops.
What was the deepest echoe of the human origin story?
Those pot-belly hills were the deepest and most ancient echoes of the human origin story. At the time, no ancient site suggested that Neolithic man could produce giant stone monuments.
Where is the oldest ceremonial center in the world?
It seems that civilization keeps getting older and older. Göbekli Tepe, a Mesolithic archaeological site in southeastern Turkey, is at present the world’s oldest ceremonial center, its numerous T-shaped megaliths predating iconic Stonehenge by some 6,000 years. In fact, the site may even be centuries older than Jericho, located in Palestine near the Dead Sea, one of the world’s earliest settlements. “Göbekli Tepe is one of the most important monuments in the world,” said Hassan Karabulut, associate curator of Turkey’s Urfa Museum, in an article of the November/December 2008 issue of Archaeology magazine.
What is the name of the hill of the navel?
Göbekli Tepe (meaning the “hill of the navel” in Turkish) covers some 25 acres, where circles of T-shaped stone pillars, some of which of 18 feet high and weighing between seven and 10 tons, stretch across a hillside, with nearby city of Urfa in the background. The Neolithic people at the site carved the local limestone into numerous depictions of humans and animals, including a bare human cranium with a snake crawling up the back of it. Other depictions show boars accompanied by ostrich-like birds, a crocodile-like creature and vultures flying above a scorpion.
How many enclosures are there in Göbekli Tepe?
While the overall size of the Göbekli Tepe site is quite considerable, the ancient core currently being excavated is of a more modest size and is represented by four enclosures identified by lettering: A-D; so designated by the order of their discovery.
When was the Tepe site built?
The most startling thing about this site is its great age. Going back to the end of the last Ice Age and first constructed around 10,000 BCE, the site is known as Göbekli Tepe (or in Kurdish, Girê Navokê meaning Pot Belly Hill, or more poetically perhaps, the Hill of the Navel).
How does one give the site a cultural and historical context?
How does one give the site a cultural and historical context? With no pottery and no writing, there can be no indication of how these ancient people perceived themselves. The archaeological team had to compare archaeological sites, taking materials from Göbekli Tepe and other sites which are related by archaeology and which can be carbon dated and compare the findings. The practice of site burial also gives an indication of age since the material used to backfill the main enclosure contained significant quantities of animal material (which can be carbon-dated).
What is the oldest example of monumental architecture?
Article. Göbekli Tepe is the world's oldest example of monumental architecture; a ' temple ' built at the end of the last Ice Age, 12,000 years ago.
How long did the burial of the ancient monuments last?
The rest of the site continued to be used with smaller, more modest structures built on the mound created by the burial of the original monuments and then, after a period of use as a site for gathering and a place of ritual that may have lasted for 2,500 years, the place was simply abandoned. Göbekli Tepe, Turkey.
What is the snake in Urfa?
The snakes are shown as short, thick creatures with broad flattened heads - typical of snakes which inhabit the Urfa region today, including the common Levantine viper. It is interesting to note that the snake holds a very powerful position in the mythology of Anatolia, even today.
When was Teomancimit discovered?
It was discovered in 1995 CE when, just a short distance from the city of Şanliurfa in Southeast Turkey, a Kurdish shepherd noticed a number of large, embedded stones, stones which had clearly been worked - and which turned out to be the most astonishing discovery. Göbekli Tepe. Teomancimit (CC BY-SA)
Where is Gobekli Tepe?
Indeed, Gobekli Tepe sits at the northern edge of the Fertile Crescent— an arc of mild climate and arable land from the Persian Gulf to present-day Lebanon, Israel, Jordan and Egypt—and would have attracted hunter-gatherers from Africa and the Levant.
How long could Gobekli Tepe be explored?
He says archaeologists could dig here for another 50 years and barely scratch the surface. Gobekli Tepe was first examined—and dismissed—by University of Chicago and Istanbul University anthropologists in the 1960s.
How long has Turkey been predating Stonehenge?
Predating Stonehenge by 6,000 years, Turkey’s stunning Gobekli Tepe upends the conventional view of the rise of civilization. Now seen as early evidence of prehistoric worship, the hilltop site was previously shunned by researchers as nothing more than a medieval cemetery. (Berthold Steinhilber)
What does Peters find on Gobekli Tepe?
Peters has often found cut marks and splintered edges on them —signs that the animals from which they came were butchered and cooked. The bones, stored in dozens of plastic crates stacked in a storeroom at the house, are the best clue to how people who created Gobekli Tepe lived.
How long have megaliths been around?
The megaliths predate Stonehenge by some 6,000 years. The place is called Gobekli Tepe, and Schmidt, a German archaeologist who has been working here more than a decade, is convinced it's the site of the world's oldest temple. "Guten Morgen," he says at 5:20 a.m. when his van picks me up at my hotel in Urfa.
What is the name of the hill that rises 50 feet above the surrounding landscape?
Unlike the stark plateaus nearby, Gobekli Tepe (the name means "belly hill" in Turkish) has a gently rounded top that rises 50 feet above the surrounding landscape. To Schmidt's eye, the shape stood out. "Only man could have created something like this," he says. "It was clear right away this was a gigantic Stone Age site." The broken pieces of limestone that earlier surveyors had mistaken for gravestones suddenly took on a different meaning.
When was Gobekli Tepe carbon dated?
And because those artifacts closely resemble others from nearby sites previously carbon-dated to about 9000 B.C., Schmidt and co-workers estimate that Gobekli Tepe's stone structures are the same age. Limited carbon dating undertaken by Schmidt at the site confirms this assessment.
What is the significance of the Göbekli Tepe ruins?
There are no village remains at or near the Göbekli Tepe ruins, suggesting that the unique site was a ceremonial center exclusively used for the practice of the Neolithic religion of local hunter-gatherer groups.
When was Gobekli Tepe built?
It looks like Gobekli Tepe was built around 12k years ago based on Carbon 14 dating. If true, it may have been built after the end of the last ice age. It is beautiful and shows both artistic as well as engineering talent. And much of it is still uncovered. Anything else right now is just speculation, a fancy synonym for guessing. I look forward to hearing more about GT as more is learned. I hope that neither archaeologists whose world views might be upset by GT nor those who earn a living writing speculative works of “science” will try to do anything to hinder the ongoing exploration of this fabulous discovery.
What animals are in the Göbekli Tepe?
Despite the primitive age of the sanctuary at Göbekli Tepe, the carvings reflect a high level of artisanship depicting a plethora of animal figures in both low and high relief, including vultures and scorpions (shown here), lions, bulls, boars, foxes, gazelles, asses, snakes, other birds and reptiles.
How old are cave paintings?
The media, in the case of cave paintings or petroglyphs, would be much older than 60K, more like millions or billions of years old, so the published dates of the caves probably refer to the pigments, cross referenced to the age of whatever fossils of the animals depicted in the paintings. Reply.
What are the anthropomorphic details of the monoliths?
In addition, some of the massive monoliths are carved with stylized anthropomorphic details—including arms, legs and clothing —that give the impression of large super-human beings watching over the enclosures.
Where is the first historical evidence of King David outside the Bible?
Learn the fascinating insights gained from artifacts and ruins, like the Pool of Siloam in Jerusalem, where the Gospel of John says Jesus miraculously restored the sight of the blind man, and the Tel Dan inscription—the first historical evidence of King David outside the Bible.
Is the Bible knowable?
The world of the Bible is knowable. We can learn about the society where the ancient Israelites, and later Jesus and the Apostles, lived through the modern discoveries that provide us clues.
Where is Gobekli Tepe located?
Gobekli Tepe – the oldest fortified temple complex in the world, located in the southeast of Turkey, 15 km northeast of Sanliurfa. This area is considered one of the most important discoveries in the world. The history of civilization has changed thanks to its discovery. The world's eye is on this place right now since its history is older than the history of the Egyptian pyramids. Moreover, Gobekli Tepe surpassed other historical monuments with its quirk. In this article, we will try to look at the subtleties of the complex.
What are the excavations in Gobekli Tepe?
Archaeological diggings seen in Gobekli Tepe in 2018 have updated historical data. Another 12 excavations will be carried out as part of the Sanliurfa Neolithic Age Research Project. So far, archeological excavations of ancient settlements have been discovered as part of the project. At present, archeological excavations are underway in 7 areas of Sanliurfa. In the project's first phase, which covers 2021-2024, the work will be carried out in 5 more locations. Thus, Gobekli Tepe will continue to refresh the pages of history, and the archeological excavations discovered here will reveal a new approach for the coming years. This will introduce Turkey as a different place in the world.
Where did Gobekli Tepe originate?
Perhaps one of the most fascinating tell-tale signs that back up the theory of Gobekli Tepe as a civilization are the results of a scientific paper published in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution. The researchers offer conclusive evidence that the ancestors of the builders of Stonehenge originated from present-day Anatolia in Turkey, the region where Gobekli Tepe stands.
How long ago was Göbekli Tepe buried?
Göbekli Tepe’s size suggests it was of great importance to the people that constructed it. So why was it buried around 8,000 BC? If it was built by hunter-gatherers as mainstream scholars suggest, wouldn’t these nomadic people just abandon it and move on?
How much does the Göbekli Tepe weigh?
In addition to the massive stones weighing 10, 20, and even 50 tons, the variety of fauna described, from lions and wild boars to birds and insects make a single explanation problematic. However, the symbols at Göbekli Tepe attest to a society well versed in symbolism and art. A series of smaller stone artifacts, statues, and items raise more questions than answers. The mixture of artifacts found at Göbekli Tepe cannot be attributed to one period or another given its rich diversity.
What is the oldest megalithic site in the world?
The world’s oldest megalithic site–the complex of Göbekli Tepe –has a secret to tell.
What is the complexity of Göbekli Tepe?
The complexity of Göbekli Tepe was confirmed in a 2020 study that demonstrated that its builders had a profound knowledge of applied geometry. The study published in the Cambridge Archaeological Journal reveals that Göbekli Tepe was far more advanced than originally thought and that its construction required much more complex planning and resources than previous estimates.
Is Göbekli Tepe still alive?
Göbekli Tepe is so old that it should not even exist. Experts maintain that the massive site–which has only been excavated around 5% to date–was built by an “uncivilized” group of people, most likely hunter-gatherers. But was it really? To find out, we must turn our history books to the year 1994 when German archaeologist Klaus Schmidt “discovered” the massive complex buried beneath the surface.
Who developed the technology to quarry, transport, and position supermassive stones?
Several thousands of years before the ancient Egyptians, the mysterious society that erected Göbekli Tepe developed the technology to quarry, transport, and position supermassive stones.
These Ruins in Turkey Could Be 11,000 Years Old!
The Hill of The Navel
- Göbekli Tepe (meaning the “hill of the navel” in Turkish) covers some 25 acres, where circles of T-shaped stone pillars, some of which of 18 feet high and weighing between seven and 10 tons, stretch across a hillside, with nearby city of Urfa in the background. The Neolithic people at the site carved the local limestone into numerous depictions of humans and animals, including a bar…
Recent Discoveries at Göbekli Tepe
- According to the article “Last Stand of the Hunter-Gatherers?” in the May/June 2021 issue of Archaeology, recent excavations at Göbekli Tepe have revealed that the site was abandoned about 8200 B.C.E., when the Neolithic Revolution was underway in that part of the world, though recent evidence seems to show that the site did not provide an integral view of the Neolithic wa…
Notes
- The sources for this article were the November/December 2008 issue of Archaeology magazine, Webster’s II New College Dictionary, the November 2008 issue of Smithsonian magazine and the article “Last Stand of the Hunter-Gatherers?” in the May/June 2021 issue of Archaeology. © 2008 Kelley Marks
Comments
- Reynon April 27, 2012: @gsmonks What is it about the Left (where I sit) and the Right -- and most scientists and supposed scholars and theologians on both sides that they simply HAVE to "know" and that things HAVE to fit into their models or get discarded? Do people like you go out of your way to find new ways to be arrogant, snobbish and know-it-all? Kelley Marks (author)from Sacra…
The Site of Göbekli Tepe
The Site in Detail
- The site chronology can be broken down into three levels, I, II, and III, which represent the main phases of construction and use; I being the most recent and III being the most ancient and therefore the deepest level. Layer III is also the most sophisticated level at Göbekli Tepe, a fact which poses some interesting questions: this is a site that in terms of artistic endeavour, constru…
The Enclosures
- The first area to be excavated was Enclosure A which is also known as 'the snake enclosure' because depictions of snakes dominate the carvings on the T-pillars. These are, in places, extremely intricate including one (pillar no. 1) which depicts a group of tightly packed snakes contained in what appears to be a net or wicker basket, set above a wild sheep or ram. The lead…
Destruction & Reuse
- All the enclosures at Level III were filled in prior to the constructions on Level II. It is unclear why this was done, but there seems to be a conscious 'decommissioning' of the structures at Level III because some pillars were damaged or moved in an organised and controlled manner, while some pillars seem to have been removed entirely. Small artefacts remained, and statues were le…
The Origins of Göbekli Tepe
- There are many theories contributed by non-academic and 'alternative' writers of popular books about the origins of Göbekli Tepe and its builders, most of which are understandably concerned with the amazing and very photogenic remains on Level III. They range from an 'ancient civilisation of amazing complexity' via vaguely biblical references to, quite literally, the stars. In te…