At first glance Göbekli Tepe (located about nine miles from Şanlıurfa) is vaguely reminiscent of Wiltshire’s Stonehenge, dozens of stone pillars arranged into rings. However, the difference is that Göbekli Tepe is much older than Stonehenge; 9000 years older than the Stonehenge we know and 2000 years older than it’s oldest incarnation.
Built some 11,600 years ago Göbekli Tepe contains the world’s oldest known temple and is the first human structure found that was more complex than a simple hut. When it was built it was almost certainly one of the earliest displays of teamwork, as in 10,000BC humans lived in small nomadic groups.
Built some 11,600 years ago Göbekli Tepe contains the world’s oldest known temple and is the first human structure found that was more complex than a simple hut. When it was built it was almost certainly one of the earliest displays of teamwork, as in 10,000BC humans lived in small nomadic groups.
Neolithic religion generally centred around animal, ancestor and celestial worship and it has been theorised that the stone circles of Göbekli Tepe may have been similar to those of Stonehenge in that they mapped solar cycles and various celestial phenomena. However since 1994 only 10% of the site has been excavated so the original purpose of the rings remains a mystery.
If Göbekli Tepe’s rings were constructed with the solstices and equinoxes in mind it would certainly be one of the oldest examples of human astronomy.
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