A remarkable series of archaeological discoveries in southeast Turkey is fundamentally altering our comprehension of a crucial era more than 11,000 years in the past, when humans began establishing settled communities.
Reshaping Prehistoric Understanding
Located on a plateau overlooking fertile plains often called the 'cradle of civilisation', the Unesco World Heritage Sites of Gobeklitepe and Karahantepe are at the heart of this historical reassessment. Among the latest finds in Sanliurfa province is a particularly striking statue featuring a facial expression that experts interpret as resembling a deceased person.
Archaeologists have hailed this as a unique discovery that provides profound insight into death rituals and symbolic expression within Neolithic communities. This statue was one of roughly 30 artefacts uncovered, a collection that also included various human and animal statues, figurines, vessels, plates, necklaces, and a notably crafted bead in human form.
A Monumental Project of Global Significance
Turkish Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy stated that these archaeological sites are unique because of how they reshape knowledge of Neolithic history and the transition to settled life. He confirmed that Gobeklitepe is expected to attract around 800,000 visitors this year, underscoring its growing global importance.
The ministry-led Stone Mounds project encompasses 12 Neolithic sites in Sanliurfa dating back to 9,500 BC. Gobeklitepe and Karahantepe feature the world's oldest structures known to be used for gatherings and ritual performances.
Among their most distinctive features are oval-shaped monumental structures, some reaching up to 28 metres in diameter, surrounded by T-shaped limestone pillars. These pillars are regarded as representations of humans, with some featuring intricate animal reliefs.
Unprecedented Artistic Depictions
Archaeologists revealed that a recent excavation at Karahantepe uncovered a landmark find: a T-shaped pillar carved with a human face. This represents the first known depiction of a human face on such a pillar.
Necmi Karul, the head of excavations, explained that the vast diversity of evidence obtained—from nutrition and architecture to the symbolic world and rituals—brings us incredibly close to prehistoric societies. He described the builders as skilled craftsmen.
Professor Karul also challenged previous assumptions, noting that while it was long believed settled life started with agriculture and animal husbandry, this project indicates these particular communities were still hunter-gatherers who had nonetheless become settled, demonstrating a far higher level of social organisation and cultural production than previously credited to people of that era.
