Turkey’s archeological mystery – the ruins of Gobekli Tepe

 The pyramids of Egypt, ancient stone structures with origins dating back to somewhere around the year 2630 BC. These imposing edifices were first constructed over four thousand years ago. An impressive feat and considered a great challenge to construct even by today's standards.

Five hundred miles east of Istanbul, Turkey, near the town of Urfa and the Syrian border, the remains of an antediluvian city dating back to 12,000-11,000 BC are being unearthed. Discovered in the Turkish hills by a farmer, the site of Gobekli Tepe is a mystery for which no one has found a credible explanation. And the question begs, why is that significant?

The answer is this period in mankind's history spelled a time of great change; when the transition from hunter-gatherers to an agricultural society was in its infancy. Roaming bands hunted and survived off the land. The Kebaran people, indigenous to the area at the time, possessed very little skill, living in crude stone structures and making only monolithic tools and weapons.

What is inexplicable about Gobekli Tepe is the fact incredibly skilled stonemasons carved intricate reliefs on walls and massive pillars, some weighing twenty tons. Yet there is no evidence of tools, hearths, refuse, or graves. Even more perplexing is the fact, somewhere around 8000-7500 BC, the entire site was deliberately buried without explanation, confounding researchers and adding to the baffling enigma.

Only five percent of this site has been uncovered, leaving archeologists wondering what lies buried beneath the soil in the remaining portions. Will future discoveries change the course of human history as we know it? Or, is there an even deeper mystery lurking beneath the Turkish soil?