Graham Hancock

The more and more discoveries there, the 11,600-year date from Enclosure D, which has the two largest megalithic pillars. And I reached a point where I realized I have to get back in. I have to get back in the water. And I have to investigate this again. And Gobekli Tepe was a game changer. But I think it's a game changer for everything. Because Gobekli Tepe... the extraordinary nature of it.

The more and more discoveries there, the 11,600-year date from Enclosure D, which has the two largest megalithic pillars. And I reached a point where I realized I have to get back in. I have to get back in the water. And I have to investigate this again. And Gobekli Tepe was a game changer. But I think it's a game changer for everything. Because Gobekli Tepe... the extraordinary nature of it.

We're looking at a major megalithic site which is at least five and a half thousand years older than, say, Gigantia in Malta, which was previously considered to be the oldest megalithic site in the world.

We're looking at a major megalithic site which is at least five and a half thousand years older than, say, Gigantia in Malta, which was previously considered to be the oldest megalithic site in the world.

We're looking at a major megalithic site which is at least five and a half thousand years older than, say, Gigantia in Malta, which was previously considered to be the oldest megalithic site in the world.

And this led, of course, to a huge amount of interest and attention, both from the Turkish government who see the potential tourism potential of having the world's oldest megalithic site and from archaeologists. And this, in turn, has led to exploration and excavation throughout the region and what they're finding throughout that whole region around Göbekli Tepe.

And this led, of course, to a huge amount of interest and attention, both from the Turkish government who see the potential tourism potential of having the world's oldest megalithic site and from archaeologists. And this, in turn, has led to exploration and excavation throughout the region and what they're finding throughout that whole region around Göbekli Tepe.

And this led, of course, to a huge amount of interest and attention, both from the Turkish government who see the potential tourism potential of having the world's oldest megalithic site and from archaeologists. And this, in turn, has led to exploration and excavation throughout the region and what they're finding throughout that whole region around Göbekli Tepe.

And going down into Syria and further down into the Jordan Valley as far as Jericho and even across a bit of the Mediterranean into Cyprus is what Turkish archaeologists are now calling the Taz-Tepeler civilization. They're calling it a civilization, the Stone Hills civilization.

And going down into Syria and further down into the Jordan Valley as far as Jericho and even across a bit of the Mediterranean into Cyprus is what Turkish archaeologists are now calling the Taz-Tepeler civilization. They're calling it a civilization, the Stone Hills civilization.

And going down into Syria and further down into the Jordan Valley as far as Jericho and even across a bit of the Mediterranean into Cyprus is what Turkish archaeologists are now calling the Taz-Tepeler civilization. They're calling it a civilization, the Stone Hills civilization.

very definite identifying characteristics semi-subterranean circular structures the use of t-shaped megalithic pillars sometimes not anywhere near as big as those at gobekli tepe it's clear that gobekli tepe now was not the beginning of this process it was actually in a way the end of this process it was the summation of everything that that stone hills civilization had had achieved.

very definite identifying characteristics semi-subterranean circular structures the use of t-shaped megalithic pillars sometimes not anywhere near as big as those at gobekli tepe it's clear that gobekli tepe now was not the beginning of this process it was actually in a way the end of this process it was the summation of everything that that stone hills civilization had had achieved.

very definite identifying characteristics semi-subterranean circular structures the use of t-shaped megalithic pillars sometimes not anywhere near as big as those at gobekli tepe it's clear that gobekli tepe now was not the beginning of this process it was actually in a way the end of this process it was the summation of everything that that stone hills civilization had had achieved.

But what is becoming clear is that this is a period before the foundation of Gobekli Tepe. As far as we know, that date of 11,600 years ago is the oldest date for Gobekli Tepe. But of course, there's a lot of Gobekli Tepe still underground. So we can't say for sure that that's the oldest, but it's the oldest so far excavated.

But what is becoming clear is that this is a period before the foundation of Gobekli Tepe. As far as we know, that date of 11,600 years ago is the oldest date for Gobekli Tepe. But of course, there's a lot of Gobekli Tepe still underground. So we can't say for sure that that's the oldest, but it's the oldest so far excavated.

But what is becoming clear is that this is a period before the foundation of Gobekli Tepe. As far as we know, that date of 11,600 years ago is the oldest date for Gobekli Tepe. But of course, there's a lot of Gobekli Tepe still underground. So we can't say for sure that that's the oldest, but it's the oldest so far excavated.

What we're seeing is that in that whole region around there, something was in motion, and it began to go into motion round about the beginning of the Younger Dryas. And this is where these two dates are really important. The Younger Dryas, I'll round the figures off, begins around 12,800 years ago, and it ends around 11,600 years ago. So Gobekli Tepe's construction date, if it is

What we're seeing is that in that whole region around there, something was in motion, and it began to go into motion round about the beginning of the Younger Dryas. And this is where these two dates are really important. The Younger Dryas, I'll round the figures off, begins around 12,800 years ago, and it ends around 11,600 years ago. So Gobekli Tepe's construction date, if it is

What we're seeing is that in that whole region around there, something was in motion, and it began to go into motion round about the beginning of the Younger Dryas. And this is where these two dates are really important. The Younger Dryas, I'll round the figures off, begins around 12,800 years ago, and it ends around 11,600 years ago. So Gobekli Tepe's construction date, if it is