Leiden University Student Repository

Holstein, Cynthia (2013)

Symboliek en dierenreliëfs uit het Prekeramisch Neolithicum op de T-vormige stenen pilaren uit cirkel D van Göbekli Tepe in Turkije

Bachelor thesis | Archeologie (BA)

Göbekli Tepe is a site built in the Pre Pottery Neolithic and is located in southeastern Turkey. It has been recently excavated by Klaus Schmidt. The site is rich in animal depictions and symbols on T-shaped pillars. This thesis concentrates on the meaning of the T-shaped pillars and the depictions and symbols of enclosure D, layer III. Currently, there is a discussion going about the meaning of the site. First the different discussions are mentioned. The most important theory is coming from Klaus Schmidt. According to Schmidt, Göbekli Tepe was a ritual center for hunter-gatherers where rituals had taken place. Based on his arguments and the six aspects of Bell, I investigate if Göbekli Tepe may be seen as a ritual site. After this, a discussion follows about which animal depictions and symbols are represented on the T-shaped pillars of circle D. After giving interpretations upon the role of these depictions, Göbekli Tepe is placed in context. Contradictory to Schmidt is the theory...Show moreGöbekli Tepe is a site built in the Pre Pottery Neolithic and is located in southeastern Turkey. It has been recently excavated by Klaus Schmidt. The site is rich in animal depictions and symbols on T-shaped pillars. This thesis concentrates on the meaning of the T-shaped pillars and the depictions and symbols of enclosure D, layer III. Currently, there is a discussion going about the meaning of the site. First the different discussions are mentioned. The most important theory is coming from Klaus Schmidt. According to Schmidt, Göbekli Tepe was a ritual center for hunter-gatherers where rituals had taken place. Based on his arguments and the six aspects of Bell, I investigate if Göbekli Tepe may be seen as a ritual site. After this, a discussion follows about which animal depictions and symbols are represented on the T-shaped pillars of circle D. After giving interpretations upon the role of these depictions, Göbekli Tepe is placed in context. Contradictory to Schmidt is the theory of Banning, who suggests that the enclosures at Göbekli Tepe may be houses with the taller pillars supporting the beams of the roof. He suggests that the T-shaped pillars were an architectural feature that was used in the Urfa region. The T-shaped pillars are compared with other pillars found in the region of Göbekli Tepe. Göbekli Tepe is compared to the following PPN sites: Hamzan Tepe, Karahan Tepe, Adiyaman Kilisik, Nevalı Çori and Taşlı Tepe. Because of the limited knowledge of the meaning of Göbekli Tepe, more research is acquired to answer what the meaning of the T-shaped pillars and the animal depictions and symbols are.Show less

Prehistoric

Anatolia

Göbekli Tepe

T-shaped pillar

Symbolism

Pre Pottery Neolithic

Author

Holstein, Cynthia

Faculty

Faculty of Archaeology

Supervisors

Nieuwenhuyse, Olivier

ECTS Credits

10

Language

nl