Some key links to the archaeology of Gobeckli Tepe, the Temple built in Eden by hunter gatherers, before the advent of agriculture:
Do These Mysterious Stones Mark the Site of the Garden of Eden?
Digging for History in Gobeckli Tepe, Turkey
Gobekli: Your Questions Answered
I don’t know how it can get more interesting. Hunter gatherer culture, large scale cooperation, large scale building.
Some key insights so far (only about 2% of the temple has been excavated so conclusions may be premature):
- Religion gave rise to agriculture, not the other way around
- The early religious designs are so far of animals, likely indicating an animist, non-monotheistic original religion; a spirituality grounded in the observed world, in life and in nature.
- The temple was buried in tons and tons of sand after roughly 2000 years of operation for unknown reasons
- Caucasian hunter gatherers had an advanced enough culture to organize the quarrying, moving, and sculpting of 10 to 50 ton stones; agriculture is NOT necessary for huge projects requiring the agreement of hundreds or even thousands of people
- Human health gradually deteriorated as the millennia passed and food supplies and lifestyle changed from HG to agrarian – this is consistent with agriculture’s effects everywhere
- The exact function of the place is unknown; while it is speculated it was a temple for the dead no tombs or graves have been found
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