Şanlıurfa Göbeklitepe

Göbeklitepe is an archaeological site to the north east of Şanlıurfa and about 15 km away from it. Remaining from the prehistoric period when scripture had not been discovered yet. It is a tumulus of about 300 m diameter formed by the efforts of people who lived in the environs for centuries in prehistoric times and who lived on hunting and gathering at a place where naturally an earthen mound wouldn’t be present over a plateau normally formed by limestone rocks. Locationwise, it was established on one of the highest points of Şanlıurfa Province. In the south it prevails the Plain of Harran, in the west city center of Şanlıurfa, in the north Southeastern Toros Mountains which include Nemrut Mountain and in the east, extinct Karacadağ Volcano. This point is also located between Fırat and Dicle Rivers, in other words, within the region known over the history as Mesopotamia.

Archaeological excavations started at Göbeklitepe in 1995 has required the revision, variations and conversions of some parts of the known history which were the milestones of the history and which were known to be experienced in the Neolithic Age. Neolithic age when settled life became widespread and farming and stockbreeding started was defined before the discovery of Göbeklitepe by the variations in the livelihood, feeding manners and tool technologies of people. Monumental structures and developed symbolism uncovered in Göbeklitepe has put forward that there were important developments in the Neolithic age not only in terms of feeding and technology, but also in terms of “morality”.

Göbeklitepe has offered evidence that a presumably “complex” social order existed in this relatively early phase of the history of humanity, that is, the people might not be engaged in the effort of surviving, but also realize some tasks which required a long time and labor. Looking at such characteristics, it is thought that Göbeklitepe is a regional gathering center. The superior universal value of Göbeklitepe is recognized all around the world upon the inscription on the World Heritage List of UNESCO in 2018.