PREHISTORY: Ancient Mediterranean and Levant - RESEARCH and OUTREACH
WHY IS ANCIENT GÖBEKLI TEPE SUCH A BIG DEAL?
At 11,500 years old, the site called Göbekli Tepe represents hundreds of prehistoric ritual sites that have been detected in southeastern Turkiye: an area formerly known as Anatolia. They are the oldest monuments in the world and they have been lying undisturbed and hidden underground for about ten thousand years! Although not as flashy as the gold of ancient Egypt, the treasure of Göbekli Tepe and its sister sites is priceless knowledge about how we came to be who we are.
It is now estimated that about one third of the earth’s current population, including most folks now living in Europe and in the New World, are descended at least partly from “Anatolian Farmer” ancestors who later migrated outward from this area of the “Fertile Crescent”.
Considered with scientific evidence from related sites and many fields of study, a haunting story unfolds. It is more vast than archaeology alone can relate. We are doing what we can to tell it.
ONE THOUSAND STEPS & 12,000 YEARS!
That's what it took to bring humankind to western "civilization" as it is known in the 21st century.
If you're going to tell part of that story, you should understand the context from a variety of angles.
It's full of surprises, fraught with conflicting information and urban mythology.
Consider the oldest buildings in the world: from Karahan Tepe & Göbekli Tepe to Hal Saflieni & Ggantija to megalithic Stonehenge. We have been there, talking to folks and assembling solid scientific evidence since 1990.
ARCHAEOACOUSTICS (of course) * ARCHAEOLOGY * ARCHITECTURE * ETHNOMUSICOLOGY * EVOLUTIONARY ANTHROPOLOGY * GENETICS * NEUROSCIENCE * PHILOSOPHY * SOCIOLOGY * & more
OTSF now has discovery-level interpretation about post–Göbekli Tepe population movement and development that: is grounded in broad cross-site synthesis and isn’t in mainstream discussion. We also have original site photos, video, rare recorded interviews, studio sets, replicas, models, and half a ton of scientific reports
Humanities and Social Studies
classroom tools FOR TEACHERS -
A series of short, evidence-based classroom videos exploring the human experience of the road that set us to where we are today: the Neolithic Revolution in lifestyle. Each video is prompted by archaeological evidence and punctuated by authentic archaeoacoustic recordings.
Humanities and Social Studies
RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT TEAM
Now calling on all interested folks to register for a new think-group.
Let's brainstorm about facilitating this Ancient Earth Initiative! Now sourcing for Development Think-Tank Symposium. Drop us a line to volunteer.
Learning from the Stone Age
live presentation program
A highly innovative learning tool, designed and created with authentic normal human intelligence; presenting prehistoric developments and the people of the time in a way that brings them to life in a way a child can understand. Plenty of audio/visuals, discussion points and interactive exercises. Limited engagements
