Archaeologists Unearth World's Oldest Temple in Turkey

Archaeologists Unearth World's Oldest Temple in Turkey

www.balkantravellers.com

18 March 2010 | A Neolithic site in south-eastern Turkey is currently being excavated by archaeologists, who say it is likely the oldest temple in the world.

The site first came into the archaeologists’ knowledge in 1986, when a farmer working the fields in Sanliurfa stumbled upon a statuette in the ground, according to the Radikal newspaper, cited by the United Press International (UPI).

Archaeological excavations since then uncovered the foundation of a 12,000-year-old Neolithic Age temple, as well as carvings of pigs, foxes, snakes, fawns and headless humans.

The culture and beli

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Well it seems that history is being rewritten almost daily. This discovery out dates the Sumerian civilization by 6000 years!

They are not sure what the culture of these people are, but they seem to be much more advanced than just hunter gatherers. With a temple that would be a good sign of advanced culture.

Here is a snip from Wikipedia : Human

Transition to civilization
Main articles: Neolithic revolution and Cradle of Civilization
Further information: History of the world
The rise of agriculture, and domestication of animals, led to stable human settlements.
The path followed by humans in the course of history

Until c. 10,000 years ago, most humans lived as hunter-gatherers. They generally lived in small nomadic groups known as band societies. The advent of agriculture prompted the Neolithic Revolution, when access to food surplus led to the formation of permanent human settlements, the domestication of animals and the use of metal tools. Agriculture encouraged trade and cooperation, and led to complex society. Because of the significance of this date for human society, it is the epoch of the Holocene calendar or Human Era.

About 6,000 years ago, the first proto-states developed in Mesopotamia, Egypt's Nile Valley and the Indus Valleys.

www.balkantravellers.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

I'm afraid this has been posted previously. Most recently here, for example:

Garden of Eden - discovered

oops NM

[edit on 18-3-2010 by Barkster]

reply to post by pause4thought

Doh........... I hate it when they rerun a story. I thought it was a bit strange it was from a travel site.

Thanks for the insight.