Göbeklitepe and the Dawn of Civilisation

Long before Stonehenge or the pyramids, hunter-gatherers raised massive carved stone pillars on a hill near Şanlıurfa. Göbeklitepe is one of the most important archaeological discoveries of our time.

What makes it unique

Dated to around 9600 BC, the site consists of circular enclosures with T-shaped limestone pillars, many decorated with foxes, boars, snakes and birds. It is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has changed what we thought we knew about the beginnings of settled life.

Combine it with

• Şanlıurfa – the sacred fish pools of Balıklıgöl and the bazaars
• Karahantepe – a related Neolithic site in the Taş Tepeler region
• Harran – the famous beehive houses
• Mount Nemrut – colossal heads at sunrise
• Mardin – honey-coloured stone houses above the plain

Upper Mesopotamia is also a feast: Urfa kebab, Antep baklava and the spice-rich cuisine of Mardin are reasons in themselves to travel.