Debunking alien theories: Gobeklitepe and Stonehenge’s ancient connections

The Stone Mounds Project, which includes the groundbreaking excavations at Gobeklitepe, shook the scientific world when it was uncovered in the 1990s. However, the fact that the discovery was located in Anatolia, in Türkiye, led some groups to hinder Gobeklitepe’s branding. Yet, in the early 2010s, as more attention from popular science enthusiasts emerged, it resurfaced on the global stage.

Despite the continuous excavation work by international teams and the publication of research papers sharing their findings, Gobeklitepe’s discovery didn’t attract as much attention as National Geographic’s 2011 cover story, titled “The Birth of Religion – The World’s First Temple.”

Following this, a series of bold and often unsettling theories began to emerge. Among those speculating were figures like American astronomer and astrobiologist Carl Edwards Sagan, who contributed theories on “extraterrestrial life” to the debate around Gobeklitepe.

Mysterious origins of Gobeklitepe and Stonehenge

Before the discovery of Türkiye’s Stone Mounds, Stonehenge was regarded as one of the world’s oldest structures, built around 7,000 years ago, arranged in a specific pattern. Another monument frequently mentioned in the global media at the time was the Egyptian pyramids, built approximately 4,000 years ago.

Both structures were subjects of “alien” theories. However, just like the pyramids, Stonehenge was not constructed by extraterrestrials; it was built by humans, with repeated reconstructions over time.

Gobeklitepe’s ancient legacy

Gobeklitepe, constructed 9,000 years before the Egyptian pyramids and 6,000 years before Stonehenge, sparked widespread “alien” claims. Yet, further research showed that the Stone Mounds Project’s other hills, such as Cakmaktepe, are even older than Gobeklitepe, dating back about 1,000 years. Additionally, Karahantepe has emerged as a cultural center in its own right.

Located just 15 kilometers from the city center of Sanliurfa, Gobeklitepe was officially discovered in 1994 by German archaeologist and historian Klaus Schmidt, although earlier research had been conducted by American teams in the area.

This archaeological site features over 200 columns and 20 circular structures, each column measuring about 6 meters in height and weighing 10-15 tons. The findings date back to approximately 11,000 years ago (around 9,000–10,000 B.C.), coinciding with the Neolithic period, when humans began transitioning to settled life and the agricultural revolution.

Connection between Gobeklitepe and Stonehenge

Stonehenge, discovered 7,000 years after Gobeklitepe, was initially considered Anatolia’s oldest structure. However, it was later revealed that these two sites shared a strikingly similar design, suggesting they served the same purpose, despite being built millennia apart on separate continents.

At this point, scientists who made the connection between the two structures with similar styles, separated by thousands of years, asked the following question: “How is it that these two structures, which are believed to serve the same purpose and are so similar, represent the same architecture despite being built on two separate continents and thousands of years apart?”

Building ancient monuments: A challenge for early societies?

One of the most pressing questions about Gobeklitepe and Stonehenge was how the massive stones, weighing tons, were transported using the technology of the time. Some researchers theorized that these structures were aligned with specific stars, and modern studies suggest they may have been used for astrological purposes.

Both sites also raised the possibility that human sacrifice was part of religious ceremonies, as human bones were found at both locations.

Debunking alien theories: How were stones moved?

When scientists started to investigate how these massive stones were moved, several theories were debunked. University College London (UCL) archaeologists conducted an experiment to understand how the stones at Stonehenge were transported.

Initially, Barney Harris, the lead of the experiment, claimed that 15 people would be needed to move a 1-ton stone, and 40 people would be required to lift it. However, the experiment showed that only 10 people could move the stone using a simple system of ropes, wooden rails, and sleds. The stones were transported from the Preseli Hills in Wales, 225 kilometers away, across rugged terrain, proving that moving such large stones was not as challenging as previously thought.

Purpose of monuments: What were they really for?

While the question of how these monuments were constructed has largely been addressed, the real mystery lies in why they were built. Numerous theories abound, ranging from religious ceremonies to astronomical observations. Both Gobeklitepe and Stonehenge were likely used for ceremonial purposes, but whether these rituals involved human sacrifice remains an open question.

Evidence supporting these theories includes the discovery of decapitated skulls at Gobeklitepe and human remains, pottery, and other artifacts at Stonehenge.

Could builders of Stonehenge have been a community that migrated from Gobeklitepe?

When Gobeklitepe was first uncovered, the scientific community turned its attention to Stonehenge, given the similarities in their architectural styles. Despite being thousands of kilometers apart, research revealed that these two monuments likely served similar purposes. DNA samples taken from Neolithic human remains in both the U.K. and Anatolia showed that populations in Britain migrated from Anatolia.

This migration, which occurred around 4,000 B.C., led to the spread of agricultural practices and the tradition of constructing megalithic monuments, such as Stonehenge. The conclusion of this study suggested that Stonehenge could indeed be a part of an ancient Anatolian tradition that spread to Europe.

In conclusion, Gobeklitepe stands as one of the most significant archaeological discoveries of the 21st century, providing valuable insights into early human civilization. As the world’s oldest known temple complex, it challenges previously held assumptions about the origins of human society, religion, and architecture. Its existence, long hidden beneath the surface of Anatolia, speaks to the ingenuity and cultural richness of early Neolithic societies.

While the exact purpose of Gobeklitepe remains a subject of debate, it is clear that this site holds profound historical and cultural importance. The ongoing excavations continue to shed light on its mysteries, offering a glimpse into the lives of those who constructed these monumental structures thousands of years ago. As new discoveries emerge, Gobeklitepe’s role in shaping our understanding of human history only becomes more crucial, reaffirming its place as a key puzzle piece in the broader narrative of ancient civilizations.