Hundreds of olive trees planted directly on unexcavated megalithic pillars at Göbekli Tepe. Tree roots raised damage concerns at the archaeological site. After public pressure, trees were relocated to safeguard ancient artifacts. 🌿
Key facts:
- Göbekli Tepe was built by hunter-gatherers, not agriculturalists
- The site was deliberately buried by its makers after about 1,000 years of use
- It dates to approximately 9,600 BC (11,600 years ago)
- Archaeology has long held that megaliths require agricultural surpluses
- Göbekli Tepe blows this assumption 'out of the water'