Göbekli Tepe is an archaeological site in the Southeastern Anatolia Region of Turkey. The site has several temple-like enclosures adorned with many intricately carved symbols.
A new study from the University of Edinburgh suggests that the markings at the site could record an astronomical event that triggered a crucial shift in human civilization. The study also indicates that markings on a stone pillar at this 12,000-year-old archaeological site likely represent the world’s oldest solar calendar, created as a memorial to a devastating comet strike.
Ancient people used a solar calendar to record observations of the sun, moon, and constellations. This allowed them to track time and mark the change of seasons.
Scientists in this study analyzed V-shaped symbols carved onto the pillars. They found that each V symbol could represent a single day. Through this interpretation, scientists could count a solar calendar of 365 days on one of the pillars, consisting of 12 lunar months plus 11 extra days.
The summer solstice is highlighted as a special day with a V shape around the neck of a bird-like figure, likely representing the constellation of the summer solstice. Nearby statues, possibly deities, also have similar V-markings at their necks. The carvings show moon and sun cycles, suggesting they may represent the world’s earliest lunisolar calendar, which tracks moon phases and solar positions, predating other known calendars by thousands of years.
Scientists noted, “Ancient people may have created these carvings at Göbekli Tepe to record the date a swarm of comet fragments hit Earth nearly 13,000 years ago – or 10,850 BC.”
The comet strike is believed to have triggered a mini ice age lasting over 1,200 years, which caused the extinction of many large animals. This event might also have led to changes in lifestyle and agriculture, paving the way for the rise of civilization in the Fertile Crescent of West Asia.
At the site, a pillar seems to depict the Taurid meteor stream, which is thought to be the source of the comet fragments. The stream lasts 27 days and originates from Aquarius and Pisces.
This discovery suggests that ancient people recorded dates using precession, the wobble of Earth’s axis affecting constellation movement, at least 10,000 years before Hipparchus of Ancient Greece documented it in 150 BC.
These carvings held significance for the people of Göbekli Tepe for millennia, hinting that the impact event may have triggered a new cult or religion that influenced the development of civilization.
Dr Martin Sweatman of the University of Edinburgh’s School of Engineering, who led the research, said: “It appears the inhabitants of Göbekli Tepe were keen observers of the sky, which is to be expected given their world had been devastated by a comet strike. This event might have triggered civilization by initiating a new religion and by motivating developments in agriculture to cope with the cold climate. Possibly, their attempts to record what they saw are the first steps towards the development of writing millennia later.”
Journal Reference:
- Martin B. Sweatman. Representations of calendars and time at Göbekli Tepe and Karahan Tepe support an astronomical interpretation of their symbolism. Time and Mind. DOI: 10.1080/1751696X.2024.2373876