What is unusual about Göbekli Tepe?
Gobekli Tepe in Turkey is one of the most remarkable prehistoric sites in the world. It is so unusual that it has turned the archaeological world on its head. Gobekli Tepe is actually a 12,000 year old temple complex, built by a hunter-gatherer culture and they are the oldest temples in the world.
What is special about the location of Göbekli Tepe?
Göbekli Tepe is located in Upper Mesopotamia, a region which saw the emergence of the most ancient farming communities in the world. Monumental structures, interpreted as monumental communal buildings (enclosures), were erected by groups of hunter-gatherers in the Pre-Pottery Neolithic period (10th-9th millennia BC).
What is Göbekli Tepe known for?
Göbekli Tepe, Neolithic site near Şanlıurfa in southeastern Turkey. The site, believed to have been a sanctuary of ritual significance, is marked by layers of carved megaliths and is estimated to date to the 9th–10th millennium bce.
What archaeological evidence has been found at Göbekli Tepe?
Atop a limestone plateau near Urfa called Gobekli Tepe, Turkish for “Belly Hill”, Schmidt discovered more than 20 circular stone enclosures. The largest was 20m across, a circle of stone with two elaborately carved pillars 5.5m tall at its centre.
Is the Garden of Eden in Turkey?
Nicknamed the “Garden of Eden” by locals, the green valley is located in one of the most arid regions of Turkey. It attracts tourists from all over the world with its wildlife and natural beauty. Nicknamed the “Garden of Eden” by locals, the green valley is located in one of the most arid regions of Turkey.
Is Göbekli Tepe older than Jericho?
Its Turkish name is Göbekli Tepe. It’s estimated to be eleven thousand years old—six and a half thousand years older than the Great Pyramid, about a half thousand years older than the walls of Jericho.
Where is biblical Eden located?
southern Mesopotamia
The location of Eden is described in the Book of Genesis as the source of four tributaries. Various suggestions have been made for its location: at the head of the Persian Gulf, in southern Mesopotamia (now Iraq) where the Tigris and Euphrates rivers run into the sea; and in Armenia.
Where is Göbekli Tepe located?
The site of Göbekli Tepe. Göbekli Tepe is an archaeological site found in the southeast of Turkey. In modern times, it was rediscovered in 1963 during a survey conducted by Istanbul University and University of Chicago.
Why is the discovery of Göbekli Tepe important?
Göbekli Tepe is regarded by some as an archaeological discovery of the greatest importance since it could profoundly change the understanding of a crucial stage in the development of human society. Ian Hodder of Stanford University said, “Göbekli Tepe changes everything”.
What are the T-shaped megaliths at Gobekli Tepe?
The T-shaped megaliths soaring some 18 feet tall stand boldly in place. The carvings on these are carefully crafted with hands, arms and clothing. These towering beings all face each other in a near perfect circle. Klaus Schmidt’s belief was that Gobekli Tepe was a sanctuary site, dubbed the World’s First Temple.
Is Göbekli Tepe the oldest mountain sanctuary in the world?
Snakes are carved on either side. Klaus Schmidt’s view was that Göbekli Tepe is a stone-age mountain sanctuary. Radiocarbon dating as well as comparative stylistic analysis indicate that it contains the oldest known megaliths yet discovered anywhere and that these ruins may constitute the remains of a temple.