Was Göbeklitepe Really About Male Power? New Study Reframes Taş Tepeler Rituals
For decades, the towering stone pillars of southeastern Türkiye have been read through a familiar lens: power, dominance, fertility cults, and the early emergence of male authority. The monumental sites of the Taş Tepeler region—especially Göbeklitepe—have often been interpreted as visual declarations of masculinity carved in stone. But what if that assumption says more about
The Beginning of Human History in Berlin: Göbeklitepe and Taş Tepeler Exhibition Opens
The story of humanity’s earliest communities is now unfolding in the heart of Europe. On February 10, a major exhibition dedicated to Göbeklitepe and the wider Taş Tepeler region opens in Berlin, bringing 12,000 years of history to an international audience. Titled “The Discovery of Society: Life 12,000 Years Ago at Göbeklitepe and the Taş
T-Shaped Stones Surface Near the Euphrates, Pointing to a Wider Taş Tepeler Network
A newly identified Neolithic site in southeastern Türkiye, near the Upper Euphrates River, is adding weight to the idea that the monumental tradition associated with Göbeklitepe extended far beyond its previously known boundaries. As water levels dropped in the Atatürk Dam reservoir, stone structures began to surface along the shoreline near Kızılöz village in the
The 9,000-Year-Old Figurines of Gürcütepe Illuminate Life After Göbeklitepe
The first light over the Harran Plain has a way of turning everything into pale gold. From a distance, Gürcütepe looks like nothing more than a gentle rise in the landscape—quiet, unassuming, easy to miss. Yet beneath its surface lies one of the most revealing chapters in the story of how early societies redefined themselves
A New Wave of Neolithic Surprises at Taş Tepeler: Mysterious ‘Death Mask’ Sculpture Unveiled in Southeastern Türkiye
Human-like faces carved into stone, a rare double-sided bead, and an unsettling sculpture evoking the stillness of death—Türkiye’s vast Taş Tepeler region has revealed some of its most enigmatic Neolithic discoveries to date. The announcements came this week in Şanlıurfa, where the Ministry of Culture and Tourism shared 30 previously unknown finds that reshape current
Karahantepe Offers Clues That Göbeklitepe Was More Than a Ritual Site
New excavations at Karahantepe, one of the key sites of the Taş Tepeler Project in southeastern Türkiye, are reshaping how archaeologists interpret the world’s earliest monumental centers.According to excavation director Prof. Dr. Necmi Karul, the newly uncovered structures suggest that these places were not only used for rituals but also formed part of organized Neolithic
Daily Life Unearthed at Karahantepe: Over 30 Neolithic Dwellings Discovered in Southeastern Türkiye
Archaeologists excavating the Neolithic site of Karahantepe in Şanlıurfa — one of the key locations within the Taş Tepeler (Stone Hills) Project — have uncovered more than 30 small dwellings dating back 11,000 years. The discovery reveals that this ancient settlement was not only a place of monumental architecture and ritual but also home to
A Historic First at Karahantepe: Human-Faced T-Shaped Pillar Unearthed in Türkiye
Archaeologists have uncovered a T-shaped pillar carved with a human face at the Neolithic site of Karahantepe in southeastern Türkiye — a discovery described as a first in human history. The finding was announced by Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy on his official X (Twitter) account, where he wrote: “Karahantepe — A
Göbeklitepe Exhibition to Open in Berlin’s Museum Island with 96 Artifacts in 2026
Türkiye’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism has announced that Göbeklitepe, one of the world’s most iconic Neolithic sites and a UNESCO World Heritage property, will be presented in a major international exhibition in Germany. Deputy Minister Gökhan Yazgı confirmed that “Myths in Stone: Göbeklitepe and the World of the Last Hunters” will open in February
12,000-Year-Old Human Statue Unearthed at Göbekli Tepe
Turkish Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy has announced the discovery of a human statue embedded in a wall at Göbekli Tepe, the world’s oldest known temple complex in southeastern Türkiye. The artifact, believed to have been placed as a votive offering, is expected to provide groundbreaking insights into Neolithic rituals and belief