Göbekli Tepe Surprises Again: 12,000-Year-Old Human Statue Discovered in Türkiye

An extraordinary discovery has been made at Göbekli Tepe , the Turkish archaeological site a UNESCO World Heritage Site considered the “ground zero of history”: a 12,000-year-old human statue has been identified inside a wall.

The announcement was made by Turkish Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy during a visit to the site with Japanese Princess Akiko of Mikasa, who toured the excavation areas together with the director of the excavations, Professor Necmi Karul.

The statue discovered at Göbekli Tepe

Carefully embedded within a wall is the human statue believed to have been placed there as a votive offering more than 12,000 years ago.

The specimen was found at the archaeological site of Göbekli Tepe (or Göbeklitepe), about 18 km northeast of the city of Şanlıurfa in modern-day Turkey . It is the oldest known monumental religious sanctuary in the world, dating back to around 9600 BC. It therefore predates Stonehenge by over 6,000 years and the Egyptian pyramids by about 7,000 years.

What makes it special are the massive T-shaped limestone pillars arranged in circular enclosures, many of which are decorated with carvings of animals such as foxes, snakes, wild boars, and vultures. Archaeologists believe these symbols had cosmological and spiritual meanings for the people who built them.

In this context, between structures B and D , embedded horizontally in the wall of a chamber, is the human statue discovered. This position is not accidental, according to experts, who instead maintain that it was an intentional arrangement and was probably part of ritual or ceremonial practices .

The importance of discovery

"We've seen similar examples at Karahan Tepe, another important Neolithic site in the region, but this newly discovered piece at Göbekli Tepe is a highly valuable discovery ," Minister Ersoy said in a statement. The reason? "It provides a deeper understanding of Neolithic rituals and the symbolic world of early human communities."

Such finds are rare and provide unique insights into the belief systems, spiritual traditions, and social structures of early agricultural communities in Upper Mesopotamia .

Like every new discovery, this one underscores how much remains to be learned about the origins of faith, art, and community life.

Why Göbekli Tepe is an important site

Minister Ersoy emphasized that Göbekli Tepe is not just a Turkish treasure, but a shared heritage of humanity . "This site does more than illuminate the past; it is a legacy for the future. Protecting it, preserving it, and passing it on to future generations is a responsibility we all share," he said.

Göbekli Tepe continues to rewrite what we know about the origins of civilization . For decades, archaeologists believed that large communal structures arose only after the advent of agriculture and sedentary village life.

The discoveries at this site, however, tell a different story: collective rituals and shared religious practices may have pushed humans towards agriculture and the creation of permanent settlements.

A hypothesis that overturns the certainties about our origins and transforms Göbekli Tepe not only into an archaeological marvel worth a visit, but into a key to reinterpreting the entire history of humanity.

Since being listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2018, this Turkish archaeological site has attracted numerous archaeologists, historians, and countless visitors . Conservation work is ongoing. Significant progress has been made in Structure C, the largest of the discovered enclosures , by stabilizing the walls.

But Göbekli Tepe continues to look to the future , with significant investments in infrastructure to handle the growing influx of visitors : the aim is to inaugurate the new visitor center, parking lots, and walking trails by the end of 2025. “We aim to manage global interest in Göbeklitepe sustainably , ensuring the site remains protected while allowing people to fully experience its unique heritage,” Ersoy concluded.