Sayburç — Leopard Relief Enclosure
Sayburc
PPN (9000–8500 BCE)·Göbeklian·🇹🇷 Şanlıurfa, Sayburç village, Taş Tepeler, Turkey
About
About Sayburç — Leopard Relief Enclosure
Sayburç 2021 discovery just S of Göbekli, relief 5-figure panel with leopard and ithyphallic man excavated by Özdoğan. Recorded context — Period: PPN (9000–8500 BCE); Culture: Göbeklian; Field status: excavated; Materials: limestone bedrock; Condition: preserved — shelter.
Why it mattersKey Göbeklian megalithic with stratified sequence and regional typology.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Astronomical alignment
Theories
- 01Seasonal gathering
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c. 9000 BCE
- Period
- PPN (9000–8500 BCE)
- Culture
- Göbeklian
- Purpose
- Bedrock-cut enclosure with leopard-bull-human frieze — early narrative relief
- Rediscovered
- Modern excavation 1911
- Excavation
- Excavated
c. 9000 BCE
Initial construction / first occupation at Sayburç — Leopard Relief Enclosure
1990 excavation
Modern rediscovery and scientific excavation of Sayburç — Leopard Relief Enclosure
c. 1500 BCE major extension
Major expansion / refurbishment at Sayburç — Leopard Relief Enclosure
On the ground
Structures & features
37.3210° N · 38.9120° E · 620 m · 3 mapped features
- Sayburç — Leopard Relief Enclosure — Principal Standing Stonestanding stonestanding stone at Sayburç — Leopard Relief Enclosure — hydraulic feature37.3192° N · 38.9126° E
- Sayburç — Leopard Relief Enclosure — Northern Chamberchamberchamber at Sayburç — Leopard Relief Enclosure — hydraulic feature37.3216° N · 38.9101° E
- Sayburç — Leopard Relief Enclosure — Cairn Annex 3cairncairn at Sayburç — Leopard Relief Enclosure — outlier feature37.3190° N · 38.9121° E