Archaeologists have announced the discovery of a new, highly sophisticated ritual sector at Karahan Tepe, a sister site to the world-famous Göbekli Tepe. This newly excavated area features a series of smaller, interconnected circular enclosures surrounding a central "throne" pillar carved with a unique human-animal hybrid figure.
The find is significant as it suggests that these Neolithic ritual centers were much larger and more complex than previously estimated. The presence of advanced sculptural details and organized spatial planning indicates a high level of social hierarchy and religious specialization in Anatolia over 11,000 years ago.