Olive trees planted on the Göbekli Tepe mound began being relocated in 2025 after independent researcher Jimmy Corsetti argued that their roots could damage buried structures. Archaeologists said no root damage had been documented and disputed claims that the trees stood directly over known megaliths, describing the relocation as a precaution. The trees were transplanted, not simply cut down. Corsetti's claim that landowners planted them to increase expropriation compensation remains his allegation. He drew attention to the issue in June 2024 and discussed it on The Joe Rogan Experience in November 2025, not November 2024. The roughly 22-acre mound remains only about 5% excavated.
Workers begin relocating Göbekli Tepe olive trees after damage concerns
TürkiyeHeritage
Key facts
- Workers began relocating the olive trees in 2025 to protect potentially buried remains; the trees were transplanted rather than all being cut down.
- No source establishes that hundreds of trees stood directly above known megalithic pillars or that their roots had already damaged them. Archaeologists said no damage had been documented and treated relocation as a precaution.
- Independent researcher Jimmy Corsetti argued that the trees could threaten unexcavated structures and that landowners planted them to obtain higher expropriation compensation; the latter is his allegation, not an established fact.
- Corsetti drew attention to the issue in June 2024; the widely circulated Joe Rogan Experience discussion was in November 2025, not November 2024.
- Göbekli Tepe's mound covers roughly 22 acres, with only about 5% excavated.
Sources
grahamhancock.com
Linked in video description
grahamhancock.com
Linked in video description
worldviewzmedia.com
Linked in video description
lukehancock.com
Linked in video description
Gobeklitepe controversy leads to removal of trees—here is ...turkiyetoday.com
Workers relocate olive trees at Göbeklitepe, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Sanliurfa, Türkiye, to protect ancient artifacts from potential ...
Göbeklitepe moves olive trees to safeguard ancient artifactshurriyetdailynews.com
Olive trees at Göbeklitepe, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in southeastern Türkiye, are being relocated to prevent damage to its 12,000-year-old ...
Why an Old Göbekli Tepe Claim Is Resurfacinganatolianarchaeology.net
Olive trees being relocated from the Göbekli Tepe archaeological area in 2025, opening previously inaccessible ground for future excavation.
Olive trees relocated at Göbeklitepe to protect ancient ...dailysabah.com
Olive trees at Gobeklitepe, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in southeastern Türkiye, are being relocated to prevent damage to its 12,000-year-old ...
Was this story useful?
Keep exploring
Every site on this page sits on the globe, and the people who research them are on the Discord.
3D Globe · Sites by country · Story Archive · Research Library · Weekly Journal · Search
AI-generated text · images from the original sources · always verify with the sources.