#Bible discovery turkey free#

Indeed, excavations at the Göbekli Tepe ruins uncovered tens of thousands of animal bones, indicating that many different species-including those depicted on the pillars-were slaughtered, sacrificed and presumably eaten at the site. The discoveries at the Göbekli Tepe ruins, however, indicate that earlier hunter-gatherer groups that had not yet settled down had already developed complex religious ideas, together with monumental ceremonial sites to practice the sacred communal rituals of Neolithic religion. Until recently, scholars agreed that agriculture and human settlement in villages gave rise to religious practices. The Göbekli Tepe ruins and enclosures-the earliest monumental ritual sites of Neolithic religion and possibly the oldest religion in the world-are causing experts to rethink the origins of religion and human civilization.

#Bible discovery turkey free#

Our free eBook Ten Top Biblical Archaeology Discoveries brings together the exciting worlds of archaeology and the Bible! Learn the fascinating insights gained from artifacts and ruins, like the Pool of Siloam in Jerusalem, where the Gospel of John says Jesus miraculously restored the sight of the blind man, and the Tel Dan inscription-the first historical evidence of King David outside the Bible.ĭespite the primitive age of the sanctuary at Göbekli Tepe, the carvings reflect a high level of artisanship depicting a plethora of animal figures in both low and high relief, including vultures and scorpions (shown here), lions, bulls, boars, foxes, gazelles, asses, snakes, other birds and reptiles. In addition, some of the massive monoliths are carved with stylized anthropomorphic details-including arms, legs and clothing-that give the impression of large super-human beings watching over the enclosures. Among the pillars are detailed and often very realistic depictions of animal figures, including vultures and scorpions, lions, bulls, boars, foxes, gazelles, asses, snakes and other birds and reptiles. Given the early age of the site, equally surprising are the varied and often highly elaborate carvings that adorn the pillars of the Göbekli Tepe ruins. There are no village remains at or near the Göbekli Tepe ruins, suggesting that the unique site was a ceremonial center exclusively used for the practice of the Neolithic religion of local hunter-gatherer groups. Each of these circular enclosures, which many have described as Turkey’s “Stonehenge,” consists of 10 to 12 massive stone pillars surrounding two larger monoliths positioned in the middle of the structure. On a hill known as Göbekli Tepe (“Potbelly Hill”) in southeastern Turkey, excavations led by Klaus Schmidt uncovered several large megalithic enclosures that date between 10,0 B.C.E., the dawn of civilization and the Neolithic age. What do the enclosures and the fascinating reliefs that adorn their pillars reveal about the oldest religion in the world? Photo: Vincent J.

The massive stone enclosures of the Göbekli Tepe ruins (known to many as Turkey’s “Stonehenge”) may be the earliest examples of Neolithic religion.