About Karahantepe
In the Tek Tek Mountains, Karahantepe is a major Neolithic site within the Taş Tepeler research programme. Rock-cut rooms, human heads and T-shaped pillars show that monumental architecture, sculpture and shared ceremonies were not unique to Göbeklitepe around eleven thousand years ago.
History
First documented in 1997, Karahantepe has undergone extensive excavation since 2019. Houses and special-purpose buildings coexist in this Pre-Pottery Neolithic settlement. Phallic projections and a realistic human head in a rock-cut circular space have prompted new discussions of its symbolic world. T-shaped pillars and sculptures suggest a tradition shared with Göbeklitepe, while the layout demonstrates the distinct character of each settlement.
Highlights and principal structures
- Special-purpose rock-cut building
- T-shaped pillars
- Human-head sculpture
- Animal and human sculptures
- Neolithic houses
- Stone-working areas
Historical period
Neolithic