How Göbekli Tepe Changed History (Encore)

Discovery

In 1994, German archaeologist Klaus Schmidt embarked on an excavation at Göbekli Tepe, a site in southeastern Turkey previously known for ancient stone tools. His findings, however, were far more significant, revealing a complex of carved ancient monoliths that challenged existing archaeological theories 1. These monoliths, some standing as tall as 23 feet, were surrounded by circular walls and adorned with elaborate carvings of animals and people 2. The site, lacking nearby water sources, featured cisterns for rainwater collection, indicating a sophisticated societal organization capable of moving large stones and creating intricate art.

The stones weren't gravestones, but were in fact carved ancient monoliths.

--- Gary Arndt

Radiocarbon dating of cooking fire embers and tools at the site revealed an astonishing age of 11,000 years, making Göbekli Tepe the oldest known stone structure, predating Stonehenge and the pyramids by millennia 2.

   

Significance

Göbekli Tepe's discovery has profound implications for our understanding of early human civilization. Previously, it was believed that agriculture was the catalyst for the development of cities and monumental structures, as it allowed for food surpluses and societal specialization 3. However, the construction of Göbekli Tepe by hunter-gatherers suggests that the creation of complex structures and rituals may have preceded agriculture. This challenges the notion that early hunter-gatherers lacked the social complexity to build such massive structures.

The implication of all of this is that Göbekli Tepe was built by hunter-gatherers. This is the fact that has upended everything we know about early civilization.

--- Gary Arndt

Moreover, the site may have served astronomical purposes, pushing back the timeline for when humans began observing the stars by thousands of years 3.