# Gobekli Tepe: What do we really know? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 30, 2018, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gobekli-tepe-what-do-we-really-know/820508 "2018-08-30T06:54:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 15
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2020, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gobekli-tepe-what-do-we-really-know/820508/281 "2020-05-28T17:08:26Z")
> [@XT](#): > > As I noted, this was an update, not a full video. I posted it because it had some new info that I found interesting. If you want a full video on this, there are plenty out there, but I’ve found when I’ve linked to long and involved videos they are even more flames at me than short, sweet ones that have ‘dumbed down’ things to a non-technical audience. Which I am, not being an archaeologist but interested in the subject. So why not tell us what the interesting new info is? Is it the equilateral triangle that we’ve just been discussing? ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2020, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gobekli-tepe-what-do-we-really-know/820508/282 "2020-05-28T17:31:26Z")
> [@GreenWyvern](#): > > So why not tell us what the interesting new info is? > > Is it the equilateral triangle that we’ve just been discussing? Yes, that was part of it. Sorry, it’s old news to you obviously. My apologies for stomping into the thread with a video link. Carry on. ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2020, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gobekli-tepe-what-do-we-really-know/820508/283 "2020-05-28T17:55:55Z")
> [@XT](#): > > Yes, that was part of it. Sorry, it’s old news to you obviously. My apologies for stomping into the thread with a video link. Carry on. Part of it? So what’s the rest? Why all the secrecy? Are trying to _force_ us to watch the video? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2020, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gobekli-tepe-what-do-we-really-know/820508/284 "2020-05-28T18:13:50Z")
> [@XT](#): > > Yes, that was part of it. Sorry, it’s old news to you obviously. My apologies for stomping into the thread with a video link. Carry on. Well, maybe start a new thread? ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2020, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gobekli-tepe-what-do-we-really-know/820508/285 "2020-05-28T18:14:46Z")
It’s my general experience that the information in a 16 minute video takes me about two or three minutes to read if I can just get at the information in written form; and I’m more likely to remember it. Can you just type out for us approximately what the video says, or else explain why you think the information has to be presented in video form? Or link to existing written article(s)? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2020, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gobekli-tepe-what-do-we-really-know/820508/286 "2020-05-28T18:36:24Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > It’s my general experience that the information in a 16 minute video takes me about two or three minutes to read if I can just get at the information in written form; and I’m more likely to remember it. > > Can you just type out for us approximately what the video says, or else explain why you think the information has to be presented in video form? Or link to existing written article(s)? I concur with your first paragraph. But! Does it have anything to do with Gobekli Tepe? ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2020, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gobekli-tepe-what-do-we-really-know/820508/287 "2020-05-28T19:34:59Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > I concur with your first paragraph. > > But! > > Does it have anything to do with Gobekli Tepe? I’m trying to find out whether the video XT’s talking about has anything to do with Gobekli Tepe; and if so, what. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2020, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gobekli-tepe-what-do-we-really-know/820508/288 "2020-05-28T19:40:18Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > I’m trying to find out whether the video XT’s talking about has anything to do with Gobekli Tepe; and if so, what. It does. Too long, but some nice pics, nothing new, afaik. ---
**Author:** ![GMANCANADA](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gmancanada/32/2837_2.png) [@GMANCANADA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GMANCANADA)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2020, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gobekli-tepe-what-do-we-really-know/820508/289 "2020-05-29T04:04:31Z")
**@ Banksiaman** > [@](#): > > Its still unclear whether the archaeological investigation’s findings were properly communicated back to Rio Tinto so that they were aware beforehand what a significant site it was. Based on your statement above it does seems like there were screw-ups and that there’s more to this than the simplistic “evil company & corrupt bureaucrats” narrative that the article suggests. If “someone” (govt, archeologists etc) had 12 years to act on this and at the very least communicate to Rio Tinto (or the media or the academic world) what a priceless site this was and didn’t, that’s a pretty serious breakdown. (OTOH - if they did and Rio Tinto still demolished, then Rio is evil.) I’m curious to hear what _really_ happened here. ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2020, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gobekli-tepe-what-do-we-really-know/820508/290 "2020-05-29T14:16:11Z")
It seems to me that the aerial photo of Gobekli in the linked article does not look especially circular. It looks more like thinks were arranged in a roughly circular manner. Googling for a map of the three circles, none are purely circular and the “equilateral” appears to be only roughly correct. It does not look like they were working from a master plan, just “let’s plunk this one down beside the others.” ---
**Author:** ![GMANCANADA](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gmancanada/32/2837_2.png) [@GMANCANADA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GMANCANADA)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2020, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gobekli-tepe-what-do-we-really-know/820508/291 "2020-06-02T00:08:38Z")
The jury has returned: Looks like they’re evil. > **[Rio Tinto apologizes for blowing up 46,000-year-old sacred indigenous site in...](https://edition.cnn.com/2020/06/01/business/rio-tinto-pilbara-sacred-site-intl-hnk-scli/index.html)** > > Mining giant Rio Tinto has apologized after blowing up a 46,000-year-old sacred indigenous site with dynamite to expand an Australian iron ore mine. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2020, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gobekli-tepe-what-do-we-really-know/820508/292 "2020-06-02T02:21:42Z")
> [@GMANCANADA](#): > > The jury has returned: > > Looks like they’re evil. > [https://edition.cnn.com/2020/06/01/business/rio-tinto-pilbara-sacred-site-intl-hnk-scli/index.html](https://edition.cnn.com/2020/06/01/business/rio-tinto-pilbara-sacred-site-intl-hnk-scli/index.html) Interesting but has nothing do do with Gobekli Tepe. Can you start a new thread? ---
**Author:** ![GMANCANADA](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gmancanada/32/2837_2.png) [@GMANCANADA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GMANCANADA)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2020, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gobekli-tepe-what-do-we-really-know/820508/293 "2020-06-02T03:19:38Z")
**@Dr Deth** > [@](#): > > Interesting but has nothing do do with Gobekli Tepe. Can you start a new thread? While your efforts to keep this thread focused are indeed noble and well founded, you’re about 100 posts too late. FYI - I’m responding to \*\*GreenWyvern’s \*\*Post 272. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2020, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gobekli-tepe-what-do-we-really-know/820508/294 "2020-06-02T05:18:21Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Interesting but has nothing do do with Gobekli Tepe. Can you start a new thread? **Moderator Note** Let’s not junior mod. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2020, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gobekli-tepe-what-do-we-really-know/820508/295 "2020-06-02T11:18:32Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > I’m trying to find out whether the video XT’s talking about has anything to do with Gobekli Tepe; and if so, what. I watched the video and thought that, as a short video, it was _ **an excellent overview** _ of Gobekli Tepe. I knew little about the topic and learned much. One might nitpick the style, but it was prepared by a two-man amateur team and I was impressed. Whether the “Breaking News” title of the YouTube was justified or not, it did mention some developments from 2019 or 2020 IIRC; so some of the content might have been “breaking news” in the recent past! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![GMANCANADA](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gmancanada/32/2837_2.png) [@GMANCANADA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GMANCANADA)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2020, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gobekli-tepe-what-do-we-really-know/820508/296 "2020-09-11T09:45:21Z")
@GreenWyvern @Banksiaman FYI - More evil company fallout: > **[Rio Tinto CEO resigns after destruction of 46,000-year-old sacred Indigenous...](https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/10/business/rio-tinto-ceo-intl-hnk/index.html)** > > Rio Tinto CEO Jean-Sébastien Jacques has resigned as the mining giant continues to face pressure from investors for blowing up a 46,000-year-old sacred indigenous site in Australia to expand an iron ore mine. ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2020, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gobekli-tepe-what-do-we-really-know/820508/297 "2020-09-11T18:11:47Z")
Rio Tinto is going through the motions of doing something, [but in fact](https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/sep/11/rio-tinto-ceo-senior-executives-resign-juukan-gorge-debacle-caves): > Despite leaving the company all three would continue to be entitled to long-term bonuses, Rio Tinto said. So they will actually be _rewarded_ for fucking up, and they will no doubt soon be hired by some other multinational conglomerate. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gobekli-tepe-what-do-we-really-know/820508.md?page=14)