Kendini Açıklamak: Göbekli Tepe Kültürü’nde Bir Köken Miti Yorumu (Antropomorfik Temalara Alternatif Bir Bakış)

Abstract

Yukarı Fırat Havzası’nda Göbekli Tepe Neolitik kültür bölgesinde insanlar, arkalarında şaşırtıcı anıtsal yapıların ve zengin bir sembolizmin olduğu uzun süreli yerleşim alanları bırakmışlardır. Bu çalışma bu kültürdeki farklı sembolik temaları merkeze koyarak bu dönem insanların kendileri hakkında nasıl bir “gerçeklik” inşa ettiklerinin makul bir yorumunu yapmaya çalışacaktır. Bu dönem sembolizminin merkezine insan kafası ve fallus teması yerleştirildiğinde neolitik insanların kendilerini bir mitolojik anlatıyla kavradıklarını/açıkladıklarını söylemek mümkündür. Makale, Göbekli Tepe kültüründeki T-biçimli dikili taşların mitolojik atalar, doğaüstü varlıklar veya tanrılardan ziyade “şimdinin” ve “bu dünyanın” nesnel bir temsili olarak atanın “dünyada” kalan parçasını/tarafını temsilen (onun) fallusu olduğunu ileri sürerek arkeoloji, antropoloji, sosyoloji ve dinler tarihi disiplinlerine de katkı sağlamayı ummaktadır. Bu bağlamda T-biçimli dikili taşları atalar kültüyle, antropomorfik heykel ve kabartmaların önemli bir kısmını da kişinin statü kazandığı erginleme ritüelleriyle ilişkilendirmek mümkündür. Bu çalışmanın en önemli amaçlarından biri de bu kültürdeki temel mitolojik anlatının ne olabileceğine ilişkin bir tartışma başlatmaktır.

Keywords

• Göbekli Tepe kültürü
• antropomorfik imgeler
• fallus
• köken miti
• Çanak Çömleksiz Neolitik
• Karahan Tepe
• Sayburç

Self-Revelation: An Origin Myth Interpretation of the Göbekli Tepe Culture (An Alternative Perspective on Anthropomorphic Themes)

Abstract

The humans of the Göbekli Tepe Neolithic culture of the Upper Euphrates Basin left behind long-term settlements with surprising monumental structures and a rich set of symbolism. This study puts the various symbolic themes of this culture to its center, and attempts to offer a reasonable interpretation of how the people of this culture and period constructed a “reality” about themselves. When the themes of human head and phallus are positioned at the center of the interpretations of this period’s symbolism, it is possible to claim that the Neolithic people conceptualized/explained themselves through an complex mythological narrative. This paper also hopes to contribute to the disciplines of archaeology, anthropology, sociology and history of religions by asserting that the T-shaped pillars of the Göbekli Tepe Culture are the phalli of the ancestors representing these ancestors’ remaining fragment/aspect on “the world,” and thus, are the material representations of the “now” and “this world,” rather than mythological ancestors, supernatural beings or gods. In this context, it is possible to relate the T-shaped pillars with ancestor cult, and also an important part of the anthropomorphic statues and reliefs with the initiation rites in which a person gains status in society. One of the biggest goals of this study is to begin a discussion about what can be the main mythological narrative of this culture.

Keywords

• Göbekli Tepe culture
• anthropomorphic images
• phallus
• origin myth
• Pre-Pottery Neolithic

References

1. Ayaz, O., Çelik, B., & Çakmak, F. (2022). “Status Society”: Sociological thinking of Göbekli Tepe and Karahan Tepe in the context of social stratification. Karadeniz Uluslararası Bilimsel Dergi, 1(56), 122-142. https://doi.org/10.17498/kdeniz.1186376
2. Ayaz, O. (2023). “An alternative view on animalsymbolism in The Göbekli Tepe Neolithic cultural region in the light of new data (GöbekliTepe, Sayburç)”. Iğdır Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi. (33): 365-383. https://doi.org/10.54600/igdirsosbilder.1252928
3. Becker, N., Dietrich, O., Götzelt, T., Köksal-Schmidt, Ç., Notroff, J., & Schmidt, K. (2012). Materialien zur Deutung der zentralen Pfeilerpaare des Göbekli Tepe und weiterer Orte des obermesopotamischen Frühneolithikums. Zeitschrift für Orient-Archäologie, 5, 14-43.
4. Banning, E. B. (2011). So Fair a House Göbekli Tepe and the Identification of Temples in the Pre-Pottery Neolithic of the Near East. Current Antropology, 52(5), 619-660. https://doi.org/10.1086/661207
5. Berger, P. L. (2011). The sacred canopy elements of a sociological theory of religion. Open Road Media. (Original work published 1966).
6. Berger, P. L., & Luckmann, T. (1991). The social construction of reality. Penguin Books. (Original work published 1966).
7. Bottéro, J. (2020). Mezopotamya yazi, akil ve tanrilar (6th ed.).(M. E. Özcan & A. Er, Trans.). Dost Kitabevi. (Original work published 1987).
8. Clare, L. (2020). Göbekli Tepe, Turkey. A brief summary of research at a new World Heritage Site (2015– 2019). e-Forschungsberichte, 2, 81-88. https://doi.org/10.34780/efb.v0i2.1012

9. Clare, L., Dietrich, O., Gresky, J., Notroff, J., Peters, J., & Pöllath, N. Ritual Practices and Conflict Mitigation at Early Neolithic Körtik Site and Göbekli Tepe, Upper Mesopotamia. In I. Hodder (Ed.), Violence and the Sacred in the Ancient Near East: Girardian Conversations at Çatalhöyük (pp. 96-128). Cambridge University Press.
10. Clare, L., & Kinzel, M. (2020). Response to comments by Ian Hodder and Christian Jeunesse with notes on a potential Upper Mesopotamian “Late PPNA Hunter-Crisis”. In G. Anne Birgitte, L. Sørensen, A. Teather, & C. Valera (Ed.), Monumentalising Life In The Neolithic Narratives Of Change And Continuity (pp. 61-68). Oxbow Books.
11. Çelik, B. (2000). An Early Neolithic settlement in the center of Şanlıurfa, Turkey. Neo-Lithics, 2(3), 4-6.
12. Çelik, B. A new Pre-Pottery Neolithic site in Southeastern Turkey: Ayanlar Höyük (Gre Hut). Documenta Praehistorica XLIV, 44, 360-367. https://doi.org/10.4312/dp.44.22
13. Çelik, B. (2019). Neolithic Dönem kült merkezi: Harbetsuvan Tepesi. Karadeniz Uluslararası Bilimsel Dergi, 1(43), 24-38. https://doi.org/10.17498/kdeniz.590720
14. Çelik, B., & Ayaz, O. (2022). Rise of Göbekli Tepe culture: “Hunting ground economy” and the Role of speculative “Knowledge”. Karadeniz Uluslararası Bilimsel Dergi, 1(56), 143-160. https://doi.org/10.17498/kdeniz.1189781
15. Çelik, B., & Tolon, K. (2018). Şanlıurfa’dan Neolitik Dönem tuzak alanlari. Karadeniz Uluslararası Bilimsel Dergi, (1)37, 28-36. https://doi.org/10.17498/kdeniz.401311
16. Demirci, K. (2013). Eski Mezopotamya Dinlerine Giriş. Ayışığı Kitapları.
17. Dietrich, O., Dietrich, L., & Notroff, J. (2019). Anthropomorphic imagery at Göbekli Tepe. In J. Becker, C. Beuger, & B. Müller-Neuhof (Ed.), Human Iconography and Symbolic Meaning in Near Eastern Prehistory (pp. 151-166). Harrassowitz Verlag.
18. Dietrich, O., Heun, M., Notroff, J., Schmidt, K., & Zarnkow, M. (2012). The role of cult and feasting in the emergence of Neolithic communities. New evidence from Gobekli Tepe, south-eastern Turkey. Antiquity, 86(333), 674-695. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0003598X00047840
19. Dietrich, O., Notroff, J., & Dietrich, L. (2018). Masks and masquerade in the Early Neolithic: A view from Upper Mesopotamia. Time and Mind, 11(1), 3-21. 10.1080/1751696X.2018.1433354
20. Dietrich, O., Notroff, J., & Schmidt, K. (2017). Feasting, social complexity, and the emergence of the early neolithic of Upper Mesopotamia: A view from Göbekli Tepe. In R. J. Chacon & R. G. Mendoza (Ed.), Feast, Famine or Fighting? Multiple Pathways to Social Complexity (pp. 91-132). Springer Nature.
21. Durkheim, E. (2008). The elementary forms of religious life (C. Cosman, Trans.). Oxford University Press. (Original work published 1912).
22. Eliade, M. (1991). Images and symbols (P. Mairet, Trans.). Princeton University Press. (Original work published 1952).
23. Finlayson, B. (2014). Houses of the holy: The evolution of ritual buildings. In B. Finlayson & C. Makarewicz (Ed.), Settlement, Survey, and Stone. Essays on near eastern prehistory in Honour of Gary Rollefson (pp. 133-143). Oriente.
24. Gadamer, H.-G. (2006). Truth and method (J. Weinsheimer & D. G. Marshall, Trans.; Second). Continuum. (Original work published 1975).
25. Geertz, C. (1973). The Interpretation of cultures. Basic Book. (Original work published 1973).
26. Güler, G., Çelik, B., & Güler, M. (2013). New Pre-Pottery Neolithic sites and cult centres in the Urfa Region. Documenta Praehistorica XXXVII, 40(1),291-304. 10.4312/dp.40.23
27. Hodder, I. (2006). The Leopard’s tale: Revealing the mysteries of Çatalhöyük. Thames and Hudson.
28. Hodder, I., & Meskell, L. (2011). A “Curious and sometimes a trifle macabre artistry” Some aspects of symbolism in neolithic Turkey. Current Antropology, 52(2), 235-263. 10.1086/659250
29. Hooke, S. H. (1963). Middle Eastern Mythology. Penguin Books.
30. Hoppal, M. (2021). Şamanlar ve semboller kaya resmi ve göstergebilim (6. Baskı). (F. Sel, Çev.). Yapı Kredi Yayınları. (Original work published 2013).
31. Insoll, T. (2004). Archaeology, religion and ritual. Routledge.
32. Jeunesse, C. (2020). Elite houses or specialised buildings? Some comments about the special buildings of Göbekli Tepe in relation to chapters 2 and 3. In G. Anne Birgitte, L. Sørensen, A. Teather, & C. Valera (Ed.), Monumentalising Life In The Neolithic Narratives Of Change And Continuity (pp. 53-56). Oxbow Books.
33. Kafafi, Z. (2010). Clans, gods and temples at the LPPNB ‘Ain Ghazal. In M. Benz (Ed.), The Principle of Sharing. Segregation and Construction of Social Identities at the Transition from Foraging to Farming (pp. 301-312). ex oriente.
34. Karul, N. (2021). Buried buildings at Pre-Pottery Neolithic Karahantepe. Türk Arkeoloji ve Etnografya Dergisi, 82, 18-31.
35. Karul, N. (2022a). Karahantepe çalişmalarina genel bir bakiş. Arkeoloji ve Sanat, 169, 1-8.
36. Karul, N. (2022b). Şanlıurfa Neolitik Çağ Araştırmaları projesi: Taş Tepeler. Arkeoloji ve Sanat, 169, VII-XIV.
37. Kinzel, M., & Clare, L. (2020). Monumental—compared to what? A perspective from Göbekli Tepe. In G. Anne Birgitte, L. Sørensen, A. Teather, & C. Valera (Ed.), Monumentalising Life In The Neolithic Narratives Of Change And Continuity (pp. 29-48). Oxbow Books.
38. Köksal-Schmidt, Ç., & Schmidt, K. (2010). The Göbekli Tepe “Totem Pole”. A First discussion of an autumn 2010 discovery (PPN, Southeastern Turkey). Neo-Lithics, 1/10, 74-76.
39. Kramer, S. N. K. (2014). Tarih Sümer’de başlar (H. Koyukan, Çev.). Kabalcı Yayıcılık. (Original work published 1981).
40. Lévi-Strauss, C. (2013). Mit ve anlam (G. Y. Demir, Çev.). İthaki. (Original work published 1978).
41. Milićević- Bradač, M. (2005). The transfer of symbol and meaning: The case of the “horns of consecration”. Documenta Praehistorica XXXVII, 32, 187-196. 10.4312/dp.32.14
42. Mithen, S., Finlayson, B., & Shaffrey, R. (2005). Sexual symbolism in the Early Neolithic of the Southern Levant: Pestles and mortars from WF16. Documenta Praehistorica XXXII, 32, 103-110. 10.4312/dp.32.6
43. Morsch, M. G. F. (2002). Magic Figurines? Some remarks about the clay objects of Nevalı Çori. In H. G. K.Gebel, B. D. Hermansen ve J. C. Hoffmann (Ed.), Magic practices and ritual in the Near Eastern Neolithic (145-162. pp.). Berlin
44. Notroff, J. (2019, March 20). A rather odd figure: The so-called Kilisik Sculpture from Adıyaman, Turkey. TEPE TELEGRAMS From the Göbekli Tepe Research Project. https://www.dainst.blog/the-tepe- telegrams/2019/03/20/a-rather-odd-figure-the-so-called-kilisik-sculpture-from-adiyaman-turkey/
45. Özdoğan, E. (2022). The Sayburç reliefs: A narrative scene from the Neolithic. Antiquity, 96(390), 1599-1605. https://doi.org/10.15184/aqy.2022.125
46. Özdoğan, E., & Uludağ, C. (2022). Sayburç: Şanlıurfa’da yeni bir Çanak Çömleksiz Neolitik Dönem yerleşimi. Arkeoloji ve Sanat, 169, 9-24.
47. Özdoğan, M. (2003). Güneydoğu Anadolu’nun kültür tarihindeki yerine farkli bir bakiş. Tübitak Matbaası.
48. Peters, J., Schmidt, K., Dietrich, L., Dietrich, O., Pöllath, N., Kinzel, M., & Clare, L. (2020). Göbekli Tepe: Agriculture and domestication. In C. Smith (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Global Archaeology (pp. 4607-4618). Springer.
49. Rudebeck, E. (2000). Tilling nature harvesting culture exploring ımages of the human being in the transition to agriculture: C. Acta Archaeologica Lundensia 32. Almquist & Wiksell.
50. Schmidt, Klaus. (2006a). “Animals and a headless man at Göbekli Tepe”. Neo-Lithics 2(06):38-40.
51. Schmidt, K. (2006b). Sie bauten die ersten Tempel Das rätselhafte Heiligtum am Göbekli Tepe. Verlag C.H.Beck oHG.
52. Schmidt, K. (2010). Göbekli Tepe – the Stone Age Sanctuaries. New results of ongoing excavations with a special focus on sculptures and high reliefs. Documenta Praehistorica XXXVII, 37, 239-256.
53. Sütterlin, C., & Eibl-Eibesfeldt, I. (2013). Human cultural defense: Means and monuments of ensuring collective territory. Neo-Lithics, 13(2), 42-48. 10.4312/dp.37.21
54. Toorn, K. V. (2007). Why Wisdom became a secret. In R. Clifford (Ed.), Wisdom Literature in Mesopotamia and Israel (pp. 21-29). Atlanta.