NEW HYPOTHESIS: Göbekli Tepe Decoded: Hidden Codes and Animal Magic (Ancient Architects)

Gobekli Tepe and all the Pre-Pottery Neolithic Sites in the Fertile Crescent have captivated us with their architecture – the monumental buildings, the enigmatic T-shaped pillars, the incredible statues and material culture, but, if truth be told, it’s the art and decoration that has blown us away.

Whether it’s the relief carvings on the megalithic pillars and stone benches, or the tiny etchings on the more portable artefacts, many researchers have put their minds to work, and its no surprise there are dozens of conflicting explanations.

There is no consensus as to what the ancients were depicting because there’s a lack of context. We’re talking about a culture 10-12,000 years old, far older than the Sumerians and Ancient Egyptians. There’s no writing, no knowledge of their beliefs, rites and rituals, we don’t know what was important to these people and what made them tick.

But the art is just incredible. It’s skilful and intricate work, and as we can see on the bench of this oval building at Sayburc, there is narrative – there is real meaning.

But before we can really apply any meaning to any of the art on display, we have to identify ‘what’ is being portrayed.

And what if there is already a consensus about the identity of some of the iconography, and the consensus is actually wrong? Then everybody, experts and independent researchers, will forever be looking in the wrong place for answers.

That’s what I feel about arguably the most important animal on display on the T-pillars, statues and portable art seen across many of the Pre-Pottery Neolithic sites of Turkey and Syria. What many call a snake is, I believe, a case of mistaken identity.

Identififying the serpentine animal correctly could be the key to unravelling the mystery of Göbekli Tepe, and in this video, I'll explain it all.



Slender catfish or eel symbols.

[Posted at the SpookyWeather2 blog, October 30, 2025.]