What is Göbekli Tepe?

An ancient archeological site in Turkey.

Who manages Göbekli Tepe?

German Archeological Institute in collaboration with local authorities.

Departure from earlier Paleolithic art centered on animals.

Around 9,000 BC, leaving a mystery for future research.

The Neolithic package, including the early domestication of cattle, sheep, goat, and pig.

Göbekli Tepe, an ancient site in Turkey, signifies a pivotal shift from hunter-gatherer to food-producing societies, showcasing unique monumental architecture with T-shaped pillars depicting humans and animals.
The collaborative excavation at Göbekli Tepe, funded by the German Research Foundation, reveals a cultist community through sculptures, tools, and depictions, shedding light on the mystery of the site's abandonment and the transition to farming societies.

What is Göbekli Tepe?
An ancient archeological site in Turkey.
Who manages Göbekli Tepe?
German Archeological Institute in collaboration with local authorities.
What is the significance of T-shaped pillars at Göbekli Tepe?
Departure from earlier Paleolithic art centered on animals.
What led to the abandonment of Göbekli Tepe?
Around 9,000 BC, leaving a mystery for future research.
What enabled the transition to farming societies at Göbekli Tepe?
The Neolithic package, including the early domestication of cattle, sheep, goat, and pig.

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Göbekli Tepe is an archeological project in southeastern Turkey, managed by the German Archeological Institute in collaboration with local authorities and universities.
The site is an artificial mound on a limestone plateau, dating back to the 10th and 9th millennium BC, making it older than other similar sites.
The project is funded by the German Research Foundation and has been ongoing for 20 years, with plans for continued work in the future.
Göbekli Tepe marks the transition from hunter-gatherer societies to food-producing societies, a crucial shift in human history.
The site features unique monumental architecture, including circular enclosures with T-shaped pillars, depicting stylized humans and animals.
The T-shaped pillars at Göbekli Tepe are significant as they represent a departure from earlier Paleolithic art centered on animals.
Excavations at the site have uncovered large-scale sculptures, flint tools, and narrative-rich depictions on pillars, suggesting a cultist community.
The Neolithic package, including the early domestication of cattle, sheep, goat, and pig, enabled the transition to farming societies.
The site's abandonment around 9,000 BC led to a gap of thousands of years before the invention of true writing, leaving a mystery for future research.
Feasting events likely played a role in attracting people to Göbekli Tepe for collaborative construction efforts.

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Experimental archeology and authentic photos from Indonesia demonstrate the methods of moving megaliths for constructing the tomb of a king, likely similar to how it was done at Göbekli Tepe, emphasizing the collaborative nature of archeology involving local workers, students, and specialists from various fields to uncover the transition from hunters-gatherers to farmers in history.