Rujm El Hiri, Gilgal or Galgal Refaim, Wheel of Spirits, Golan Heights, , Bashan,Israel
Rujm el-Hiri or Gilgal Refā'īm is an ancient megalithic monument, consisting of concentric circles of stone with a tumulus at center, in the Israeli portion of the Golan Heights,in the middle of a large plateau covered with hundreds of dolmen. The site is believed to be an ancient observatory and stellar , there is no consensus regarding its function, as no similar structure has been found in the Near East. The site's size and location, on a wide plateau which is also scattered with hundreds of dolmens, means that an aerial perspective is necessary to see the complete - According to this hypothesis, the site was used for special ceremonies during the longest and shortest days of the year. It seems, that in the year 3000 BCE, on the longest day, the first rays of the sun shone through the opening in the north-east gate, which is 20 by 29 meters. The residents probably used the site to worship Tammuz and Ishtar, the gods of fertility,to thank them for the good harvest during the year. Burial site - It appears that the place of worship later became a burial site for leaders or other important individuals. Supporting this theory was the tomb in the Dolman. Dakhma – Archaeologist Rami Arav suggests the site was used like the Dakhmas of the Zoroastrians, in which dead persons were laid out for birds to remove the flesh from their bones. Astronomical observations - Perhaps the site was used for astronomical observations of the constellations, probably for religious calculations. Researchers found the site was built with dimensions and scales common for other period structures, and partly based on the stars' positions, Stonehenge
Size: 4912px × 7360px
Location: Golan heights ,Israel
Photo credit: © moris kushelevitch / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: 3000, age, ancient, bce, bronze, calendar, center, cult, dakhma, dead, dolmen, early, megalithic, observatory, rephaites, ritual, stellar, structure
