Nexus - 1604 - New Times Magazine-pages

Page Content (OCR)

depicts various wild pigs. There remain nine pillars Speculation on Gébekli Tepe around the wall, but several were removed at some point Excavations at Gdbekli Tepe are still ongoing; only a in the past. One pillar shows a net of birds. As later quarter of the suspected 200 T-pillars have been cultures are known to have caught migratory cranes in discovered so far, and not all the structures have been nets, could this be a custom that was practised much unearthed. In short, further surprises may be in store. It earlier than assumed? Complex C is also of interest is therefore early days to draw major conclusions, but because a U-shaped stone has been found there which is what could it all mean? The site definitely demonstrates deemed to have been the access stone. This stone has a __ that things which we thought were much more recent are central passage of 70 centimetres in width, and one side _ far older—and all present in one site, sitting in a region of the U is topped with a depiction of a boar; the other — which shows that a civilisation worthy of that name side unfortunately is missing. Again, the Ushape andthe __ existed there in the 10th millennium BC, millennia before boar underline the craftsmen's technical expertise in | anyone would have dared to guess a few decades ago. carving, which is shown even more so on pillar no. 27, Klaus Schmidt has labelled Gébekli Tepe "the first featuring the earlier-mentioned three-dimensional temple" and "a sanctuary of the Stone Age hunter". He reptilian creature. This intricate sculpture could be _ sees the site as part of a death cult, not specifically linked regarded as being on a par with Michelangelo's statue of | with a sedentary group but a type of central sanctuary for David. several of the tribes living in the region. Complex D is nicknamed "the Stone Age zoo". Pillar no. The carved animals are believed to have been there to 43 has scorpions, and some protect the dead. At Cayénii, as pillars are indeed so profusely previously described, one decorated—much more structure has a cellar that was intensive sant he other | So far, though, GobeKi —_f fun¢ 9 conan man stalls an apt description. Once again, Tepe has no evidence of Gobekli Tepe has no evidence of there are two central pillars (nos habitation and therefore abitation and therefore appears 18 and 31), though other pillars o have been purely a religious reveal symbols, like one in the appears to have been centre. purely a religious centre. shape of the letter H as well as one with an H turned 90 degrees. The site has revealed other symbols, specifically a Gobekli Tepe had far greater cross, a resting half-moon and regard for their religious horizontal bars—evidence that the origin of writing is buildings than for any structures of a "practical" or more likely to be much older than is currently assumed. Pillar materialistic nature. Still, with only Complex B excavated no. 33 is the "star" of the complex. Schmidt states that to floor level, no tombs or graves have been found to the shapes on this pillar come close to the Egyptian _—_ date. Once again, it appears that, just as the ancient Egyptians did, he civilisation that constructed hieroglyphs, hence he posits the existence of a Some have voiced criticism as to whether hunter- pictographic language in the 10th millennium BC. gatherers could have created such a structure as Gdbekli Combined, these four complexes—and others, still | Tepe. The many flint arrowheads (and the lack of unexcavated—are a series of ovals and resemble the construction tools) found around the site would seem to layout of the oval-shaped Stone Age complexes found on support this criticism, and one could even see these Malta. artefacts as part of sacred hunts rather than as part of the This is all the more remarkable as Malta's oval shapes _ daily activities to put food on the table—if indeed tables were considered unique, though some of the megaliths even existed then. on Sardinia also display some oval-like tendencies but Schmidt maintains that the hunter-gatherers convened not as profoundly as at Gdbekli Tepe. at the site at certain times of the year. Whether these A "rock temple" lower down on the slope is equally oval = meetings were determined by solar or lunar cycles is in shape and has an opening to the “burial chamber". anyone's guess, but it is nevertheless an interesting Whereas at other sites these openings are so narrow that question to ponder. Equally, one could logically a human could not navigate to the interior, here it is wide conclude that those who constructed the site lived there enough to enter. and were a dedicated resource supported by others who Elsewhere on the site, on the northern slope of the hill, | sustained them in dietary and housing needs. there is a rectangular complex named "the lion column Archaeologists have estimated that up to 500 persons building". Its four pillars have depictions of leonine — would have been required to extract pillars weighing 10 creatures, which could also be tigers or leopards. One to 20 tonnes and move them from the quarry to their pillar has a 30-cm-high graffito of a squatting woman who destination, a distance ranging from 100 to 500 metres. appears to be giving birth. However, Schmidt actually believes that maintaining the one So far, though, Gobekili Tepe has no evidence of habitation and therefore appears to have been purely a religious centre. Some have voiced criticism as to whether hunter- gatherers could have created such a structure as Gdbekli Tepe. The many flint arrowheads (and the lack of construction tools) found around the site would seem to support this criticism, and one could even see these artefacts as part of sacred hunts rather than as part of the daily activities to put food on the table—if indeed tables even existed then. Schmidt maintains that the hunter-gatherers convened at the site at certain times of the year. Whether these meetings were determined by solar or lunar cycles is anyone's guess, but it is nevertheless an interesting question to ponder. Equally, one could logically conclude that those who constructed the site lived there and were a dedicated resource supported by others who sustained them in dietary and housing needs. Archaeologists have estimated that up to 500 persons would have been required to extract pillars weighing 10 to 20 tonnes and move them from the quarry to their destination, a distance ranging from 100 to 500 metres. However, Schmidt actually believes that maintaining the 38 ¢ NEXUS JUNE — JULY 2009 www.nexusmagazine.com