Whether something analogous to totemism operated in the PPN communities of Upper Mesopotamia is not certain, but the possibility is consistent with the species distribution evidence.

Another line of inquiry examines the specific behaviors and postures of the depicted animals.

Many of the animals at Göbekli Tepe are depicted in aggressive or threatening postures: snakes about to strike, boar with bristled backs, predators with open mouths or reaching claws.

This emphasis on danger and aggression — rather than, for example, the peaceful or domesticated aspects of the animal world — may reflect the specific symbolic role of dangerous animals in the belief system of the site’s builders.

Dangerous animals have particular symbolic resonance in many cultures precisely because of the threat they represent.