Located in what is now southeastern Turkey, Göbeklitepe is one of the oldest known monumental structures built by humans. It dates back to between 9500 and 8000 BCE—thousands of years before the invention of writing.

So who placed these massive stones? And how did they live?

While no written records exist, archaeological findings offer strong clues about the lives of these Stone Age communities.

People and Life in Göbeklitepe

We don't know what language these people spoke or how they identified themselves. However, they are believed to be ancestors of communities living in Upper Mesopotamia and Southeastern Anatolia, along the Euphrates and Tigris rivers.

They likely had genetic and cultural ties to later Neolithic groups in Anatolia and the Levant.

The inhabitants of Göbeklitepe were hunter-gatherers. Farming had not yet begun. Their daily lives centered on foraging and cooperation, not agriculture.

These people:

• Hunted wild animals like bulls, gazelles, wild boars, and foxes
• Gathered wild grains and edible plants
• Developed rituals and symbolic systems
• Were skilled stonemasons who carved T-shaped limestone pillars up to six meters tall to create monumental structures

How Did They Live? Social Life in Göbeklitepe

Rather than a permanent settlement, Göbeklitepe was likely a gathering place used at specific times. Archaeological evidence suggests that surrounding groups came together here for rituals or communal activities. This points to a semi-nomadic lifestyle and a socially organized community.

What Did They Eat? Diet in the Stone Age

Bones and plant remains found in excavations reveal their dietary habits:

• They hunted animals such as bulls, gazelles, wild boars, and foxes.
• Wild wheat and other foraged plants were part of their diet.

There is no evidence of domesticated animals or cultivated crops. Their nutrition was entirely based on wild resources. Their effective use of these resources shows they had deep knowledge of their environment.

Did Göbeklitepe People Use Technology?

Yes, the communities of Göbeklitepe developed the technologies needed for survival. Their technological advancements began with basic stone tools and evolved over time.

Stone tools, grinding stones, and bone artifacts uncovered in excavations reveal their technical knowledge and everyday skills. These tools served multiple functions: hunting, processing plants, and construction.

This shows that Göbeklitepe people were not only surviving in nature but also innovative and productive.

Life Among the Stones

All evidence to date points to a community that was physically strong, socially structured, and capable of symbolic thinking.

And Göbeklitepe is not the only site with such clues. One of the most remarkable areas of the Taş Tepeler region, Karahantepe, continues to impress both archaeologists and visitors with its architecture and findings.

👉 Curious about Karahantepe? Don't miss our post: 10 Questions About Karahantepe.