DECODING GÖBEKLI TEPE WITH ARCHAEOASTRONOMY: WHAT DOES THE FOX SAY?

Authors

  • Martin B. Sweatman School of Engineering, University of Edinburgh, King’s Buildings, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK. EH9 3JL
  • Dimitrios Tsikritsis School of Engineering, University of Edinburgh, King’s Buildings, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK. EH9 3JL

Keywords:

symbolism, Younger Dryas, comet, Taurid meteor, asterism, coherent catastrophism.

Abstract

We have interpreted much of the symbolism of Göbekli Tepe in terms of astronomical events. By matching low-relief carvings on some of the pillars at Göbekli Tepe to star asterisms we find compelling evidence that the famous ‘Vulture Stone’ is a date stamp for 10950 BC ± 250 yrs, which corresponds closely to the proposed Younger Dryas event, estimated at 10890 BC. We also find evidence that a key function of Göbekli Tepe was to observe meteor showers and record cometary encounters. Indeed, the people of Göbekli Tepe appear to have had a special interest in the Taurid meteor stream, the same meteor stream that is proposed as responsible for the Younger-Dryas event. Is Göbekli Tepe the ‘smoking gun’ for the Younger-Dryas cometary encounter, and hence for coherent catastrophism?

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Published

2023-07-28

Issue

Vol. 17 No. 1 (2017)

Section

Articles