GOBEKLITEPE

 

gobeklitepe sanliurfaGöbekli Tepe was erected by hunter-gatherers inthe 10th millennium BC (ca. 11,500 years ago),before the advent of sedentism is a hilltop sanctuarysituated near of the city of Sanliurfa (formerlyUrfa / Edessa)in southeastern Turkey. Its said that  the stone fragments onthe surface made him aware immediately that the site was prehistoric. Beforethen, the hill had been under agricultural cultivation;generations of local inhabitants had frequently moved rocks and placed them inclearance piles; much archaeological evidence may have been destroyed in theprocess.Recently discovered T-shaped pillars, some ofwhich had apparently undergone attempts at smashing.Gobekli Tepe is the oldesthuman-made place of worship yet discovered. Untilexcavations began, a complex on this scale was not thought possible for acommunity so ancient. The massive sequence of stratification layers suggestsseveral millennia of activity, perhaps reaching back to the Mesolithic.The oldest occupation layer (stratum III)contains monolithic pillarslinked by coarsely built walls to form circular or oval structures. So far,four such buildings, with diameters between 10 and 30m have beenuncovered. Geophysical surveys indicate the existence of 16additional structures.The houses or temples are round megalithic buildings. Thewalls are made of unworked dry stone and include numerous T-shaped monolithicpillars of limestone that are up to 3 m high. Another, bigger pair of pillarsis placed in the centre of the structures. There is evidence that thestructures were roofed; the central pair of pillars may have supported theroof. The floors are made of terrazzo (burntlime), and there is a low bench running along the whole of the exterior wall.
 
gobeklitepe sanctuary

The reliefs on the pillarsinclude foxes, lions, cattle, wild boars, wild asses, herons, ducks,scorpions, ants, spiders, many snakes, and a very few anthropomorphic figures.

gobeklitepe froscoes on gravestones

Some of the reliefs have been deliberately erased, maybe in preparation for newdesigns. There are freestanding sculptures as well that may represent wildboars or foxes. As they are heavily encrusted with lime, it is sometimesdifficult to tell.

For tours to to Gobeklitepe please contact us for Nemrut and Urfa Tour