Discovery of an Ancient Calendar at Gobekli Tepe
A researcher from the University of Edinburgh, Martin Sweatman, has made a groundbreaking discovery at Gobekli Tepe, an archaeological site located in southern Turkey, renowned for its ancient temple-like enclosures. His research, published last month, suggests that the site houses what may be the earliest known lunisolar calendar, which intricately combines the movements of both the moon and the sun.
According to Dr. Sweatman, the V-shaped markings found on the pillars of Gobekli Tepe document a significant astronomical event that had a profound impact on Earth, essentially serving as a memorial to this ancient catastrophe. He posits that these intricate carvings narrate the date of a comet strike, believed to have occurred approximately 13,000 years ago, specifically around 10,850 B.C. This event, which resulted from fragments of a comet originating from a meteor stream colliding with our planet, has been a contentious topic among scholars and researchers.
This is not the first time Dr. Sweatman has linked the comet’s impact to the Gobekli Tepe site. In 2017, he published an academic paper where he argued that the carvings on the pillars served to memorialize this catastrophic event, suggesting that the site functioned as an observatory for ancient celestial phenomena. His findings were met with skepticism from some members of the archaeological community.
Jens Notroff, an archaeologist who is part of the excavation team at Gobekli Tepe, expressed doubts regarding Dr. Sweatman’s conclusions. He articulated his concerns on the social media platform X, suggesting that there seems to be an obsession with uncovering hidden codes or secrets within the markings, while he believes they primarily reflect the lives of ancient humans rather than serving as a complex astronomical record.
In light of his recent findings, Dr. Sweatman emphasized that the identification of a lunisolar calendar on one of the pillars corroborates his earlier research. He stated, “We can be very confident indeed that it’s a date.” This assertion reinforces his belief that the site holds significant astronomical and historical value, shedding new light on the understanding of ancient civilizations and their connection to celestial events.
