Göbekli Tepe: Difference between revisions
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Göbekli Tepe is | Göbekli Tepe is an archaeological site found in the southeast of Turkey. | ||
==Site== | ==Site== | ||
===Time Periods=== | ===Time Periods=== | ||
=== | ====Layer III==== | ||
The earliest portion of Göbekli Tepe is Layer III, assigned to Pre-Pottery Neolithic A (PPNA). Layer III consists of circular structures of 10 to 30 m in diameter each. Four such structures have been excavated and are referred to as Enclosures A, B, C, and D, but electromagnetic analysis shows that over 10 additional enclosures may exist<ref name="Klaus2003">Schmidt, K. (2003). The 2003 Campaign at Göbekli Tepe (Southeastern Turkey). ''Neo-lithics,'' 2/03. 3-8.</ref>. Radiocarbon dating of charcoal found in the four enclosures currently being excavated show that Layer III dates back to approximately 9990 to 9250 BCE, with charcoal samples from Enclosure D appearing to be slightly older than Enclosures C and A <ref name="radiocarbon">Dietrich, O., Köksal-Schmidt, Ç., Notroff, J., & Schmidt, K. (2013). Establishing a Radiocarbon Sequence for Göbekli Tepe. State of Research and New Data. ''Neo-lithics,'' 1/13. 36-41.</ref>. | |||
Each enclosure excavated to date contains multiple T-shaped limestone columns set into the interior walls of the structures. Reliefs depicting animals are present on many of these columns. In the center of each of the currently unearthed enclosures, two columns stand parallel to one another in the center of the enclosure. Following from the hypothesis that similar columns are present in the unexcavated enclosures, more than 200 total columns may exist in Layer III<ref name="Klaus2003"/>. The walls of the structures are composed of unworked stone. | |||
====Layer II==== | |||
Layer II follows Layer III and manifests in the form of smaller rectangular structures. It is associated with Pre-Pottery Neolithic B (PPNB). The same T-shaped pillars found in the enclosures of Layer III are also present in Layer II, ranging from zero to six columns per structure. These columns are sometimes set into the wall of the enclosure, but are more often found in the center. Radiocarbon dating of Layer II using humic acid from soil samples gives that Layer II dates back to 8880±60 BCE <ref name="radiocarbon"/> | |||
====Layer I==== | |||
Layer I is the surface layer. It is mainly comprised of erosional sediments. | |||
===Filling Event=== | |||
An interesting characteristic of Göbekli Tepe is that the enclosures seem to have been intentionally backfilled. The earliest possible date of the filling can be determined using radiocarbon dating of the pedogenic carbonate coatings left on the columns in the enclosures. Samples from the carbonate coatings of pillars from Enclosure B and Enclosure C yield dates of 7010±85 BCE and 6480±80 BCE, respectively<ref name="carbonate">Pustovoytov, K. (2002). <sup>14</sup>C Dating of Pedogenic Carbonate Coatings on Wall Stones at Gobekli Tepe (Southeastern Turkey). ''Neo-lithics,'' 2/02. 3-4. </ref> | |||
==Excavation History== | ==Excavation History== | ||
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====Purpose as Temple==== | ====Purpose as Temple==== | ||
==Pseudoarchaeological Narrative== | ==Pseudoarchaeological Narrative== | ||
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===Deconstruction=== | ===Deconstruction=== | ||
==References== | |||
{{Reflist|30em}} | |||
Revision as of 23:29, 27 November 2017
Göbekli Tepe is an archaeological site found in the southeast of Turkey.
Site
Time Periods
Layer III
The earliest portion of Göbekli Tepe is Layer III, assigned to Pre-Pottery Neolithic A (PPNA). Layer III consists of circular structures of 10 to 30 m in diameter each. Four such structures have been excavated and are referred to as Enclosures A, B, C, and D, but electromagnetic analysis shows that over 10 additional enclosures may exist[1]. Radiocarbon dating of charcoal found in the four enclosures currently being excavated show that Layer III dates back to approximately 9990 to 9250 BCE, with charcoal samples from Enclosure D appearing to be slightly older than Enclosures C and A [2].
Each enclosure excavated to date contains multiple T-shaped limestone columns set into the interior walls of the structures. Reliefs depicting animals are present on many of these columns. In the center of each of the currently unearthed enclosures, two columns stand parallel to one another in the center of the enclosure. Following from the hypothesis that similar columns are present in the unexcavated enclosures, more than 200 total columns may exist in Layer III[1]. The walls of the structures are composed of unworked stone.
Layer II
Layer II follows Layer III and manifests in the form of smaller rectangular structures. It is associated with Pre-Pottery Neolithic B (PPNB). The same T-shaped pillars found in the enclosures of Layer III are also present in Layer II, ranging from zero to six columns per structure. These columns are sometimes set into the wall of the enclosure, but are more often found in the center. Radiocarbon dating of Layer II using humic acid from soil samples gives that Layer II dates back to 8880±60 BCE [2]
Layer I
Layer I is the surface layer. It is mainly comprised of erosional sediments.
Filling Event
An interesting characteristic of Göbekli Tepe is that the enclosures seem to have been intentionally backfilled. The earliest possible date of the filling can be determined using radiocarbon dating of the pedogenic carbonate coatings left on the columns in the enclosures. Samples from the carbonate coatings of pillars from Enclosure B and Enclosure C yield dates of 7010±85 BCE and 6480±80 BCE, respectively[3]
Excavation History
Klaus Schmidt
-Intentionally left much of the site unexplored
Purpose as Temple
Pseudoarchaeological Narrative
Assertion that all of civilization arose from Göbekli Tepe, that humans here were created by aliens for the purpose of mining (a la Sitchen), and that carvings depict "at the very least" a belief in extraterrestrials.[4]
The whole site is a Turkish fabrication.[5]
Ancient Aliens Season 2 - Unexplained Structures (Dec 16, 2010) - "shows evidence of pre-flood civilization"
Deconstruction
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Schmidt, K. (2003). The 2003 Campaign at Göbekli Tepe (Southeastern Turkey). Neo-lithics, 2/03. 3-8.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Dietrich, O., Köksal-Schmidt, Ç., Notroff, J., & Schmidt, K. (2013). Establishing a Radiocarbon Sequence for Göbekli Tepe. State of Research and New Data. Neo-lithics, 1/13. 36-41.
- ↑ Pustovoytov, K. (2002). 14C Dating of Pedogenic Carbonate Coatings on Wall Stones at Gobekli Tepe (Southeastern Turkey). Neo-lithics, 2/02. 3-4.
- ↑ [1]
- ↑ [2]