Karahantepe
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA)
Interest
Date Range
c. 9500–8000 BCE
Excavation Start
2019
Key Feature
Underground ritual chamber
Status
Active excavation
“Karahantepe demonstrates that Göbekli Tepe was not an isolated phenomenon.”
Karahan Tepe is a Pre-Pottery Neolithic archaeological site in Şanlıurfa, Turkey. The site is in the same geographical region as Göbekli Tepe and archaeologists have also uncovered T-shaped stelae there. The site may be among the earliest known human villages, predating Göbekli Tepe by several centuries.
read_wikipedia →overview
Karahantepe is a Pre-Pottery Neolithic site located about 35 kilometers southeast of Şanlıurfa, in a landscape dotted with similar-age settlements. First identified in 1997 during a survey led by Bahattin Çelik, systematic excavations began in 2019 under the direction of Necmi Karul of Istanbul University. The site features T-shaped pillars similar to those at Göbekli Tepe, but also displays unique architectural elements. Most notably, a semi-subterranean chamber was discovered containing pillars carved to resemble phalluses, along with a remarkable carved human head emerging from the bedrock. Karahantepe is part of a broader network of Pre-Pottery Neolithic sites in the Şanlıurfa region, collectively known as the Taş Tepeler (Stone Hills) project. These sites suggest that monumental construction was not unique to Göbekli Tepe but was part of a wider cultural phenomenon.
why_it_matters
evidence
Distinguishing what is well-established from what remains debated.
confirmed
2- T-shaped pillars at Karahantepe are contemporary with those at Göbekli Tepe.
- A carved human head emerging from bedrock was found in a semi-subterranean chamber.
inferred
1- The site likely served ritual purposes similar to, but distinct from, Göbekli Tepe.
debated
1- The meaning and function of the phallus-shaped pillars are still under scholarly discussion.
excavation
Initial survey
Led by Bahattin Çelik
Site identified during a regional survey.
Systematic excavations begin
Led by Necmi Karul / Istanbul University
Istanbul University begins large-scale excavation, revealing the underground chamber and carved human head.
Media
Videos
Karahantepe excavation overview
Credit: TRT World
More Photos
Museum Artifacts
location
Related Sites
sources
- Karahantepe: A New Pre-Pottery Neolithic Site in Southeastern Turkey — Necmi Karul (2021)
- Taş Tepeler ProjectLink