Religion and the Birth of Civilisation in Turkey

Gobekli Tepe is cool. I have every intention of seeing it someday. The site where civilisation is reckoned to have begun is in its earliest attested form a religious site consisting of somewhat Stonehenge-esque monoliths, but carved in fancy bas-reliefs.

Charles C. Mann writes for National Geographic that the religious devotion expressed in this monumental project that served no mundane purpose whatsoever marks the beginning of the move to urban living so that religious elders could be always where the shrines were. Indeed this is posited as a possible origin of ruler castes in many civilisations around the world today, including by Hariri in that delectable Sapiens book I discussed previously.

Does that sound plausible? If so, why? If not, why? I am finding myself more and more persuaded by the argument that states originate in religion. It would certainly explain why so many ancient kings were basically high priests.

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AynCrap

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