The earthquake in Turkey did not damage the 11,500-year-old monolithic site – ARTnews.com

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The ancient site of Göbekli Tepe was not damaged in the aftermath of the 7.8-magnitude earthquake in south-central Turkey and northern Syria.

Since the earthquake occurred a week ago, with its epicenter west of Gaziantep, Turkey, more than 35,000 people have reportedly been killed and more than 1 million displaced in the country, according to a report from The New York Times.

While modern buildings in Turkey have been severely damaged, ancient ones, such as the 2,000-year-old Gaziantep Citadel, have also been partially destroyed.

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The damage to these ancient sites was a cause for concern, as there are many archaeological sites and cultural heritages spanning thousands of years in Turkey and Syria. Aleppo and Antakya (Old Antioch) are the only two important city centers in the region that are still being excavated.

In the ancient citadel of Aleppo, which was also recently damaged during the civil war in Syria, parts of an Ottoman-era mill have collapsed along with parts of the minaret of the citadel’s mosque, according to a report by Reuters.

The walls of Arslantepe Hill, an ancient mud-brick city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, slipped as a result of the earthquake. Slight slips have also been reported in the walls of the ancient city of Diyarbakir, which were built by the Romans, as well as at the entrance to St. George’s Church.

In a statement, the Göbekli Tepe Research Project team confirmed that Göbekli Tepe was not damaged by the earthquake. The 11,500-year-old structure is located in southeastern Anatolia, approximately 86 miles east of the epicenter.

Göbekli Tepe contains megalithic structures and is located among the Germuş Mountains of Turkey. It is the oldest known megalithic site. Since it is believed to have been used for ceremonial purposes, it is also one of the oldest religious sites in human history.

A report by Turkey’s General Directorate of Cultural Property and Museums stated that there was no serious damage or looting of regional museums and their private collections.

Information about the impact of the earthquake on cultural heritage sites in both countries is still ongoing.

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