Göbekli Tepe: Making us rethink our ancestors
“Göbekli Tepe is approximately 300 meters wide and 15 meters high,” he explains, with only roughly five percent of the site being excavated thus far. Unlike 100 years ago, today’s archaeologists have access to a wide variety of technology to help them with their work. “The mound was examined in a geomagnetic survey which showed that there are many more circular arrangements of pillars buried there,” he explains. “Aerial photographs have also been taken of the site and a 3D-laser scan was also done recently to document the excavated areas in their current state. Several pillars have also been scanned and documented in detail. Judging by the dimensions of the whole mound and the results of the geomagnetic survey — indicating that there are more enclosures waiting to be uncovered; only a small area of the whole complex has been excavated so far. Four enclosures, consisting of circles formed from standing pillars with a T-shaped head gathered around a central pair of noticeably larger pillars, have been uncovered close to each other. The floor consists of smooth rock. Another enclosure has been detected on the western plateau, a circular hollow in the rock. Although it lacks preserved pillars, it is apparently comparable to the other enclosures as there’s a foot mounting for the pillars. A sixth circular enclosure was also found and excavated recently.”