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Göbekli Tepe’s buried structures and Pamukkale’s terraces
At Göbekli Tepe, geophysical surveys suggest further T-pillar buildings remain under the mound. At Pamukkale, calcite-rich springs have formed stepped basins.
At a glance
- Göbekli Tepe mound
- The German Archaeological Institute describes it as up to about 15 m high and about 9 ha in area.[2]
- Pamukkale terrace heights
- UNESCO says some are under 1 m high and others reach 6 m.[3]
- Pamukkale spring cliff
- UNESCO describes the cliff the springs emerge from as almost 200 m high.[3]
A place worth remembering
More structures may lie below the surface
Excavations to date cover a limited area at Göbekli Tepe. Ground-penetrating radar and other geophysical surveys suggest further T-pillar structures may lie below the surface. The German Archaeological Institute describes the mound as made entirely of archaeological deposits, reaching up to about 15 m high and about 9 ha in area. UNESCO dates the monumental round-oval and rectangular structures to 9,600–8,200 BCE.[1][2]
Calcite shapes Pamukkale’s white terraces
At Pamukkale, hot-spring water carrying calcite has formed petrified waterfalls, pools and step-like terraces. UNESCO says some terraces are under 1 m high and others reach 6 m; new calcium-carbonate deposits make the formations white.[3]
Hierapolis and the thermal canals
Beside the terraces lie the ruins of Hierapolis, a Hellenistic spa town that UNESCO says the Attalid kings of Pergamon founded in the late 2nd century BCE. Its Greco-Roman remains include a theatre, baths, a nymphaeum and a necropolis, as well as temple ruins. UNESCO also describes canals that channelled the spring water to neighbouring villages and farmland, part of a system reaching 70 km north-west.[3]
Good to know
A few clear answers before you explore.
What do geophysical surveys suggest remains beneath Göbekli Tepe?
Further T-pillar structures may lie below the ground; excavations to date cover a limited area.[2]
Why are Pamukkale’s terraces white?
Calcium carbonate left by the springs forms their white surface.[3]
How tall are the T-shaped pillars at Göbekli Tepe?
UNESCO says some of the limestone pillars are up to 5.50 m tall and describes them as abstract renderings of the human form.[1]
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