Gōbekli Tepe: The Symbolism of the Serpent and the Fox-Revisited

By Donald B. Carroll

In my recent article; Gobekli Tepe: The symbolism of the Fox and the Serpent, the evidence was presented for the hypothesis that the fox and serpent carvings found at Gobekli Tepe were indications symbolically representing the night sky star asterism of the Summer Triangle as the head of the serpent with the Milky Way spanning the night sky representative of the serpent's body.  Also included was the fox constellation, Vulpecula, located by this serpent's head, basically in its mouth.

This hypothesis was predicated on the alignment of the pillars at the site that are considered to show the importance of the star Deneb (one of the stars of the Summer Triangle) along with the clear significance and abundance (more than any other animal) of serpent carvings at Gobekli Tepe, yet no serpent remains have been uncovered.  Whereas approximately 1,000 fox remains have been discovered and fox carvings at the site are the only animal shown dead (as loin pelts) or captured (held in pillar arms). These representations and the site’s stellar alignment towards a conceivable representation of a “serpent of light” with a fox at its head (mouth) lead me to the hypothesis.  Please review the prior cited article for its greater detail.

Having the recent opportunity to visit and explore Turkey on an Ancient Origins tour I had the occasion to be “boots on the ground” at Gobekli Tepe for a greater sense of this incredible site and my research.  The following day we headed off to Karahan Tepe, one of the sister sites to Gobekli Tepe, some 40 kilometers to the southeast. This is a site that would un-expectantly provide strong evidence of the postulation for the significance of the stellar serpent of light for these ancient builders.

Karahan Tepe: personal photo

Karahan Tepe is a site that is more recently being archeologically excavated and is already revealing amazing discoveries and may be even 1,000 years older than Gobekli Tepe. There, 60 T-pillars have been uncovered and estimations presently show at least the existence of 250 T-Pillars. Archeologists have, so far, excavated a “main hall” (structure AD) 23 meters across that is connected to structure AB though a 27.5-inch portal entrance. This structure AB could be called a “hypogeum ritual room” with a large human-type head protruding from the top of its wall overseeing 11 pillars; one pillar that could be considered, symbolically, an upright serpent. This “ritual hall then connects to structure AA.

Karahan Tepe; structure AB; personal photo

It is by structure AA where there is a marvelous carving of a serpent that is meters long with a fox figure at its head. This carving accurately depicts my postulation of the significance for a night sky serpent created from the Milky Way as its body with the Summer Triangle as its north facing head and the Vulpecula (Fox) constellation at the serpent's head (mouth).  It is strong validating evidence for the hypotheses that these ancient builders found such a stellar portrayal important in their spiritual philosophy.

 

personal photos

Even though groups of stars and constellations created thousands of years later then these ancient builders are used to describe their possible views; the night sky has been the canvas for symbolism of the human consciousness and imagination since time immemorial with some depiction seeming to be archetypal, spanning diverse cultures.  One example of this is the Milky Way representing a river of light or a serpent of light. Even the Summer Triangle asterism has been considered depicted in the 20,000-year-old cave paintings at Lascaux, France. 

This all leads, in a gestalt-like fashion towards a confirmation that these ancient megalithic builders were imagining this serpent of light in the sky and its significance was important enough for them to represent it at their apparent sacred sites. Time will tell its validation as further excavations continue led by Professor Necmi Karul.