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The carvings discovered at the 12,000-year-old Neolithic site of Gobekli Tepe in southern Turkey may represent the oldest known lunisolar calendar in the world.
A team of British archaeologists suggests that some of the carvings on the stone pillars not only indicate that people at that time were observing solar and lunar cycles, but may also document a cometary impact that significantly altered the Earth’s environment.
This collision was a pivotal event that transformed human lifestyles, contributing to the development of agriculture and the dawn of civilization.
[Image] Gobekli Tepe carvings record comet impact
Situated on a hill near Sanliurfa in southeastern Türkiye, Gobekli Tepe is believed to be the world’s oldest temple complex, featuring symbols and statues carved into stone.
The site has long intrigued archaeologists, and now Martin Sweatman from the University of Edinburgh in the UK and his colleagues argue that some of the carvings may indeed relate to astronomy.
Moreover, carvings on one of the pillars may recount a catastrophic event from the past: a comet impact that took place approximately 13,000 years ago (around 10,850 BCE).
The team states that this incident triggered a Little Ice Age lasting over 1,200 years, drastically altering the environment and leading to the extinction of several large animals.
It certainly resulted in changes in human living patterns, stimulated the rise of agriculture, and ultimately paved the way for the birth of civilization in the Fertile Crescent of Western Asia, marking it as a highly significant event.
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Ruins of Göbekli Tepe / image credit:Dosseman / WIKI commons CC BY-SA 4.0
The world’s oldest lunisolar calendar may have been recorded here
According to Sweatman and his colleagues, a V-shaped mark carved into a stone pillar known as “Pillar 43,” or “Vulture Stone,” is key.
Each V represents a day, and collectively they could form a 365-day calendar.
If this is accurate, it implies that the early inhabitants of Göbekli Tepe were tracking solar movements and recording them.
Pillar 43 (Vulture Stone) / image credit:
Furthermore, the carvings at Göbekli Tepe also seem to reflect lunar cycles.
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This suggests that the pillar carvings constitute the world’s oldest known “lunisolar calendar,” according to the team.
If this hypothesis is valid, the calendar at Göbekli Tepe predates other known lunisolar calendars by thousands of years and indicates that the builders of the site likely possessed advanced astronomical knowledge.
Detail of the central section of Pillar 43 at Göbekli Tepe / image credit: Martin B. Sweatman, doi: 10.1080/1751696X.2024.2373876
Notably, this calendar illustrates the summer solstice as a special day.
The V mark representing this date is positioned around the neck of a relief depicting what appears to be a bird, likely representing the constellation tied to the summer solstice.
Similar V-shaped markings can be found on other nearby statues, which may have held cultural and religious significance for the people of Göbekli Tepe.
They already had advanced knowledge of astronomy.
The ancient calendar uncovered at Göbekli Tepe also suggests that the people at the time possessed a profound understanding of celestial movements.
For example, they may have understood the phenomenon of “precession,” wherein the Earth’s axis wobbles similarly to a top’s axis, affecting the movements of the constellations.
Similar knowledge was recorded by the Greek astronomer Hipparchus in 150 BC, yet the information retrieved from Göbekli Tepe is considerably older.
One column also features what seems to depict the Taurid meteor shower, which originated between the constellations Aquarius and Pisces and persisted over 27 days, believed to be associated with debris from a comet that impacted Earth.
The researchers propose that the inhabitants of Göbekli Tepe may have been aware of such dangers and might have sought to document and anticipate them for future reference.
This could have eventually led to new religions and beliefs centered around astronomical occurrences. Such cultural and religious transformations were instrumental in the evolution of early civilizations and significantly influenced society and agriculture after the comet strike.
This discovery emphasizes that the people of Göbekli Tepe may have had a more sophisticated understanding of astronomy than previously recognized.
It is unsurprising that the inhabitants of Göbekli Tepe were keen sky observers, considering their world had been ravaged by a cometary impact.
This event catalyzed new religions and spurred agricultural development to adapt to the colder climate, symbolizing the dawn of civilization.
Moreover, efforts to document their observations may have been the initial steps toward the invention of writing, according to Sweatman.
Was Göbekli Tepe the cradle of astronomy and civilization? Future research will unveil this.
This researchTime and Mind (July 24, 2024).
References:Gobekli Tepe’s Carvings Represent World’s Oldest Solar Calendar, New Research Suggests | Sci.News / The legendary Gobekli Tepe site could be the world’s earliest solar calendar / World’s Oldest Calendar Claimed Found at Gobekli Tepe / written by hiroching / edited by / steam
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12,000-year-old carvings at Gobekli Tepe may be the world’s oldest lunisolar calendar
Discovering the World’s Oldest Lunisolar Calendar at Göbekli Tepe
Carvings unearthed at the 12,000-year-old Neolithic site of Göbekli Tepe in southern Turkey may represent the world’s oldest known lunisolar calendar.
A team of British archaeologists, led by Martin Sweatman of the University of Edinburgh, contends that certain carvings on the stone pillars at Göbekli Tepe indicate that ancient inhabitants were not only keen observers of solar and lunar cycles but may also have recorded a cometary impact, which significantly altered Earth’s environment.
This cataclysmic event is believed to have drastically reorganized human life, facilitating the transition from nomadic lifestyles to settled agriculture, heralding the dawn of civilization.
Unveiling the Secrets of Göbekli Tepe
Nestled on a hill near Sanliurfa in southeastern Türkiye, Göbekli Tepe is touted as the world’s oldest temple complex, adorned with intricate symbols and statues carved into limestone.
Archaeologists have long been captivated by this site, but the latest findings suggest that some of its carvings may have profound astronomical significance. Sweatman and his colleagues propose that various markings, especially on a particular pillar dubbed “Pillar 43” or “Vulture Stone,” could be emblematic of days, potentially forming a 365-day calendar.
If validated, these interpretations would imply that the early Göbekli Tepe inhabitants were adept at monitoring solar movements, thus establishing one of the earliest records of a lunisolar calendar, far earlier than previously acknowledged calendars.
The Pillar 43: A Key to Ancient Knowledge
The pivotal feature of the research is a V-shaped etching on Pillar 43.
- Each V signifies a day, potentially aggregating to a full calendar year.
- Symbols representing lunar cycles also make their presence felt, further enhancing the notion of a lunisolar calendar.
Moreover, the carvings suggest that the summer solstice held particular importance for these early societies, as indicated by a distinct V-shape positioned around a bird relief, correlating with a constellation associated with the summer solstice.
The Impact of Cometary Events on Civilization
Sweatman’s team theorizes that an extensive comet impact occurred roughly 13,000 years ago (circa 10,850 BCE), catalyzing a phenomenon now referred to as the Little Ice Age, which endured for over 1,200 years.
- This environmental shift led to the extinction of large animals, significantly altering human lifestyles.
- Consequently, this event precipitated the emergence of agriculture and the consequent formation of civilizations in the Fertile Crescent.
Cultural and Religious Developments
The researchers argue that heightened astronomical awareness could have sown the seeds for emergent religious and cultural systems anchored in celestial phenomena.
“It’s no surprise that the residents of Göbekli Tepe were avid sky watchers, given that their world had been devastated by a cometary impact. This event gave rise to new religions and prompted the development of agriculture to cope with the cold climate, marking the beginning of civilization.” – Martin Sweatman
Understanding Ancient Astronomy
The advanced knowledge of astronomical patterns depicted at Göbekli Tepe reveals that its builders possessed insights into intricate celestial movements.
- The phenomenon of precession, where Earth’s axial rotation wobbles, suggests an understanding paralleling later Greek astronomical observations.
- Intriguingly, one column also appears to capture the Taurid meteor shower, hinting at their awareness of potential cosmic threats.
Evidence of a New Dawn in Human History
Could Göbekli Tepe be the very cradle of astronomy and civilization? The data generated from ongoing research promises to unfold answers to this compelling question.
Notable Findings Summary
| Finding | Significance |
|---|---|
| V-shaped carvings on Pillar 43 | Potentially indicate a 365-day lunisolar calendar |
| Comet impact recording | Linked to shifts in human civilization and the onset of agriculture |
| Summer solstice marking | Indicates advanced understanding of solar events |
| Astronomical knowledge parallels later civilizations | Demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of celestial phenomena |
Revisiting Historical Narratives
The revelations from Göbekli Tepe not only shed light on humanity’s distant past but also challenge established chronology regarding knowledge of astronomy and civilization’s development.
As research progresses, we stand on the brink of potentially redefining our understanding of early human societies and their interactions with the cosmos.
For further insights, read the research published in Time and Mind on July 24, 2024.
Sources:
Sci.News |
ZME Science |
Ancient Origins
