Gobekli Tepe
Neolithic site with monumental megaliths, debated as early temple or settlement.
via Wikipedia: Cradle of civilization · see source
Göbekli Tepe is a Neolithic archaeological site in Upper Mesopotamia, in modern-day Turkey, inhabited from around 9500 BCE to at least 8000 BCE during the Pre-Pottery Neolithic. It is known for its large circular structures containing massive stone pillars, among the world's oldest known megaliths, many decorated with anthropomorphic details and reliefs of wild animals. The site has played a prominent role in debates about the Neolithic Revolution and whether farming caused settlement or vice versa, as it was built on a rocky mountaintop with no clear evidence of agricultural cultivation.
- location
- Upper Mesopotamia (al-Jazira), modern-day Turkey
- period
- Pre-Pottery Neolithic (c. 9500–8000 BCE)
Lore & Background
Göbekli Tepe is an early Neolithic site in the Fertile Crescent, dated to 9500–8000 BC. It is one of the notable PPNA settlements in the region, which also includes Jericho, believed to be the world's earliest established city with initial settlement around 9600 BC. Current theories and findings identify the Fertile Crescent as the first and oldest cradle of civilization, and Göbekli Tepe is an example of an early Neolithic site in this area.
Reader's Guide
Göbekli Tepe is located in the Fertile Crescent, a crescent-shaped region of elevated terrain in West Asia encompassing regions of modern-day Egypt, Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Turkey, and Iraq. The Fertile Crescent stands as one of the earliest regions globally where agricultural practices emerged, marking the advent of sedentary farming communities. By 10,200 BC, fully developed Neolithic cultures, characterized by the Pre-Pottery Neolithic A (PPNA) and Pre-Pottery Neolithic B (7600 to 6000 BC) phases, emerged within the Fertile Crescent. These cultures diffused eastward into South Asia and westward into Europe and North Africa. Göbekli Tepe is dated to 9500–8000 BC, placing it within the PPNA period.
Did You Know?
- Göbekli Tepe is dated to 9500–8000 BC, placing it within the Pre-Pottery Neolithic A (PPNA) phase.
- The site is located in the Fertile Crescent, which stands as one of the earliest regions globally where agricultural practices emerged.
- Jericho, another PPNA settlement, is believed to be the world's earliest established city, with initial settlement dating back to around 9600 BC.
- Current theories and findings identify the Fertile Crescent as the first and oldest cradle of civilization.
- The Fertile Crescent comprises a crescent-shaped region of elevated terrain in West Asia, encompassing regions of modern-day Egypt, Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Turkey, and Iraq.
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