Göbekli Tepe is one of the most important archaeological sites in Turkey and the world, for all that it represents. There is still much to discover and interpret, but no expert doubts its decisive role in the evolution of human thought in the early stages of the Neolithic period. In this post, we tell you where it is, what makes it so valuable, and why it is worth visiting, especially if you like archeology and history.
What and where is Göbekli Tepe
Göbekli Tepe is a site located about 15 km from Sanliurfa, in the Southeastern Anatolia region, about 50 km in a straight line from the border with Syria. Its location is also unique, at the top of a promontory, in fact, Göbekli Tepe can be translated as “potbelly hill.”
This archaeological site, of approximately 9 hectares, is usually interpreted as a megalithic enclosure built in the 10th millennium BC, and then drastically abandoned around 8,000 BC. The interpretation that is usually given is that of a religious temple, and that is where its key importance lies: it is considered the first temple of worship of humanity. For this reason, Göbekli Tepe was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2018.
It is generally accepted that Paleolithic man must have already had religious feelings or thoughts, as the cave paintings scattered in different parts of the world seem to demonstrate. But in this case, it would be a temple built for this purpose, which would denote a set of more solid beliefs, which led these people from the beginning of the Neolithic to build a truly complex and sophisticated enclosure,
What Can be Seen on a Visit to Göbekli Tepe
The Göbekli Tepe site has been renovated in recent years, with several important new features. The main one is the arrangement of a large circular and curved roof or cover, designed not only to generate shade for visitors but above all to protect the site from rain and inclement weather.
In addition, walkways have been placed around the entire perimeter, allowing visitors to contemplate the site from an elevated position and thus help to better understand the complex. From the different viewpoints of these walkways, you can see the most important places.
For example, its circular room, which would be accessed through a gallery. Here, in the center, rest some of the largest megaliths, which could suggest that it was the most important room for worship. There are also large megaliths in other adjacent spaces, and in some cases they are T-shaped, the meaning or function of which is still a matter of debate.
So is the extraordinary iconography present in these, in the form of bas-relief, where animals are represented with great technical skill, such as birds, vultures or wild boars, which could be talking about the beliefs of that civilization.
These reliefs and the largest megaliths are located in the deepest strata of the site, that is, in its oldest parts, while in the more superficial strata, the constructions use smaller ashlars or techniques.
A visit to Göbekli Tepe can be made from Monday to Sunday, from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, and general admission to the site costs €20. Following the site’s recent renovation, restrooms, a shop, and a café have been installed to complete the visitor experience.
