World's Oldest Calendar found at 13,000-year-old temple in Turkey

The world’s oldest sun-and-moon calendar is believed to have been found by archaeologists at a 13,000-year-old temple, Gobekli Tepe in Turkey. This temple is a renowned archaeological site in southern Turkey.

This calendar is etched into a large stone pillar at Gobekli Tepe. This incredible discovery provides a fresh perspective on prehistoric human timekeeping.

Research in Time and Mind on July 24, 2024, published about this discovery. The almost 13,000-year-old pillar has 365 V-shaped motifs carving.

*World’s oldest lunisolar calendar found at Gobekli Tepe*

The ancient calendar is a complex system comprising 12 lunar months plus an extra 11 days. Researchers interpret each “V” to represent a single day. The design of this calendar also shows a precise attempt to track solar year and lunar cycles.

Moreover, the pillar has also a carving of an animal that resembles a bird encircled by other V-shaped symbols. This design might also be an accurate representation of the summer solstice symbol at that time.

The elaborate carvings might originate from 10,850 B.C. following a major comet strike. It may also have had a dramatic effect on climate and culture.

There is a common belief that a major comet strike caused an ice age, which may have had a significant impact on Gobekli Tepe society. So, this happening might have sparked changes in culture or religion and improvements in agriculture to cope with the colder temperature.

*Inspiration for possibly the oldest calendar may come from ancient climate changes*

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It is possible that ancient people made this calendar to preserve and understand these remarkable astronomical happenings. Hence, researchers believe they found the world’s oldest calendar at Gobekli Tepe.

Martin Sweatman is the lead author of this research from the University of Edinburgh. According to him, comet strikes and subsequent environmental changes may have acted as triggers for the evolution of writing systems.

Following this, Gobekli Tepe’s carvings provide insight into how prehistoric people understood and recorded their surroundings. It led to the stage for later discoveries and advances in human understanding.