Click here (National Geographic) to read about the recently discovered, oldest-known ritual site in the world...
Your reactions and observations? How might such discoveries pertain to questions about the relationship(s) between ancient religion and magic?
8 comments:
I wonder why the builder's of such sophisticated ritualistic monuments didn't have a similarly built town or village. Were ritualistic purposes put before more practical pursuits when it came to architecture?
Also, why did this culture, as the article mentions, get *worse* at building this? Maybe their values changed, maybe the religion itself no longer required as elaborate a structure?
Margaret Ransdell-Green
If a belief system is strong enough or popular enough in an area people could have came together to build such a massive site. The shape of the ritual site could have been significant in a specific kind of ritual or magic that was going to be preformed. This is no different than our various temples of worship today.
-Taylor E.
I am curious of how large the monument actually is, and how the people of that time were able to craft such a large structure. On the religious aspect of things, do people form societies around religious momunents that already exist? Or do societies create religious monuments within their cities. Either way I don't understand why a stucture that would have taken a long time to create had no living area at all.
Rmily Peterson-Wood
If this monument was used for a religious or magical site, but that far back was it one in the same?
I was so surprised to read that the builders of Gobekli Tepe cut, shaped and transported 16 ton stones hundreds of feet without wheels or animals; that's crazy! Also I think it's amazing that there were no homes or water sources around there, yet people still built it.
-Rachel Levy
One possibility is that the people built the circle and left it for a long period subjecting it to ruin. When they returned they would have to build another one. However, the lack of living quarters is impressive considering the amount of work needed to erect these pillars. Its almost mysterious and even magical that this feet could have been acccomplished by nomadic peoples. This only confirms that ancient people knew more than we think they did. They obviously had coherent thoughts that led to developing belief systems important enough to build monuments to after all. Perhaps they even had some other worldly help?
Deirdre Adams
This site is proving as baffling as it is remarkable. Some archaeologists think there MUST have been a nearby settlement (which is gone, or hasn't been discovered) to support such monumental construction and centralized rituals. There even seems to be some evidence that the earliest known domesticated wheat strains come from this very area, suggesting that harvested crops were a component of activities at Gobelke-Tepe.
You phrased the question well, Emily, as chicken-and-egg: did religion precede (perhaps even 'cause') civilization, or vice-versa? Many scholars used to think it was the latter, but this site is challenging that. Time & digging will tell... maybe!
pdk
It always surprises me how advanced some of the first civilizations were. Being able to move pillars that weigh 16 tons is phenomenal and astonishing. Makes one think of what other feats they were capable of.
Tazheem Rubio
Post a Comment