Its major construction phases coincide with the period when the genetic signatures of domestication are first appearing in cereal species in the region.

Whether there is a direct causal connection between the aggregation activities at Göbekli Tepe and the intensification of plant management is not established, but the coincidence in time and place is worth noting.

The Iconography Beyond the Animals

The carved imagery at Göbekli Tepe is not limited to animal representations.

Abstract and geometric designs also appear, and some of the more intriguing carved elements are the symbols and glyphs that appear on several pillars, which some researchers have proposed may represent a proto-writing system or a system of symbolic communication.

The most discussed of these potential symbolic elements are the H-symbol or “gate” symbol, a roughly H-shaped or double-gate form that appears in various sizes and contexts across different pillars.