• About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Donation
  • Contact
No Result
View All Result
Archaeology News
  • Home
  • News
    • Archaeology
    • Anthropology
    • Paleontology
  • Academics
    • Books
    • Conferences
    • Universities
  • Articles
  • VR Tours
  • Quiz & Game
  • Download
  • Encyclopedia
  • Forum
Archaeology News
No Result
View All Result
Home News Archaeology

Rujm el-Hiri mystery: Golan stone circle may not be an astronomical observatory

by Dario Radley
January 2, 2025

Rujm el-Hiri is a mysterious megalithic monument in the Golan Heights known as the “Wheel of Ghosts” or the “Stonehenge of the East.” Long believed to be a kind of astronomical observatory, new research published in the journal Remote Sensing has put that idea in doubt and proposes alternative reasons for its existence.

Rujm el-Hiri mystery: Golan stone circle likely not an astronomical observatory
Aerial view of Rujm el-Hiri site. Credit: Abraham Graicer

Led by Dr. Olga Khabarova and Prof. Lev Eppelbaum, a multidisciplinary team from Tel Aviv University and Ben-Gurion University of the Negev conducted a comprehensive study that combined geomagnetic analysis with advanced remote sensing technologies.

Their findings indicate that tectonic displacements, occurring over 150 million years at a rate of 8–15 millimeters per year, have significantly altered the walls and entrances of the structure. These movements, which rotated the site counterclockwise and shifted it by tens of meters, undermine the long-held belief that Rujm el-Hiri’s design was aligned with celestial phenomena such as solstices and equinoxes.

According to the research team, “The findings show that the entrances and radial walls during that historical period were entirely different, reopening the question of the site’s purpose.” By reconstructing the sky map as it would have appeared between 2500 and 3500 BCE, they found no evidence to support astronomical alignment in its original orientation.

Rujm el-Hiri mystery: Golan stone circle likely not an astronomical observatory
Aerial view of Rujm el-Hiri site. Credit: O. Khabarova et al., Remote Sensing (2024)

Made with more than 40,000 tons of basalt rocks, the site’s concentric stone circles and central burial mound have generated a plethora of theories about its purpose, including religious ceremonies and agricultural or communal uses. The Hebrew name for the site, Gilgal Refaim, or “Wheel of Giants,” also seems to refer to biblical reports of ancient giants.

RelatedStories

5,500-year-old 'Polish pyramids' discovered in western Poland reveal Neolithic engineering

5,500-year-old ‘Polish pyramids’ discovered in western Poland reveal Neolithic engineering

July 11, 2025
Donkey sacrifice from 4,500 years ago in ancient Gath reveals early Canaan–Egypt trade

Donkey sacrifice from 4,500 years ago in ancient Gath reveals early Canaan–Egypt trade

July 10, 2025

Using satellite imagery and geomagnetic data, the team mapped the archaeological landscape within a 30-kilometer radius of the site. The survey discovered several such features of circular forms varying between 40 and 90 meters in diameter, high thick walls, and enclosures about 20 meters in diameter. Their function was probably agricultural or pastoral. Additionally, dozens of burial mounds, or tumuli, were documented, some of which may have functioned as storage facilities, shelters, or dwellings.

While the study challenges the idea of Rujm el-Hiri as an observatory, it opens new avenues for understanding its role within the broader cultural and socio-economic context of the Golan Heights during the Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age periods.

More information: Khabarova, O., Birkenfeld, M., & Eppelbaum, L. V. (2024). Discussion points of the remote sensing study and integrated analysis of the archaeological landscape of Rujm el-Hiri. Remote Sensing, 16(22), 4239. doi:10.3390/rs16224239
Share3Tweet2ShareShareSend

You May Also Like...

5,500-year-old 'Polish pyramids' discovered in western Poland reveal Neolithic engineering
Anthropology

5,500-year-old ‘Polish pyramids’ discovered in western Poland reveal Neolithic engineering

July 11, 2025
17th-century Gullberg’s fortress in Gothenburg brought to life through 3D reconstruction
Archaeology

17th-century Gullberg’s fortress in Gothenburg brought to life through 3D reconstruction

July 11, 2025
Neanderthals turned cave lion bones into multifunctional tools 130,000 years ago, study reveals
Anthropology

Neanderthals turned cave lion bones into multifunctional tools 130,000 years ago, study reveals

July 10, 2025
Donkey sacrifice from 4,500 years ago in ancient Gath reveals early Canaan–Egypt trade
Archaeology

Donkey sacrifice from 4,500 years ago in ancient Gath reveals early Canaan–Egypt trade

July 10, 2025
300,000-year-old wooden tools found in China reveal early humans’ plant-based diet and cognitive abilities in East Asia
Anthropology

300,000-year-old wooden tools found in China reveal early humans’ plant-based diet and cognitive abilities in East Asia

July 9, 2025
Lost medieval town of Hamarkaupangen rediscovered in Norway after years of searching
Archaeology

Lost medieval town of Hamarkaupangen rediscovered in Norway after years of searching

July 9, 2025

Comments 0

  1. Editorial Team says:
    56 years ago
    Disclaimer: This website is a science-focused magazine that welcomes both academic and non-academic audiences. Comments are written by users and may include personal opinions or unverified claims. They do not necessarily reflect the views of our editorial team or rely on scientific evidence.
    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Follow us


Instagram
247K

Facebook
110K

Threads
43K

LinkedIn
12K

Twitter
6K

YouTube
1K
  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Shipwreck Salvage. Credit: rawpixel.com / Public Domain

2,000-year-old shipwreck discovered off Turkish coast with remarkably preserved stacked ceramics

July 2, 2025
Viking age DNA reveals 9,000-year-old HIV-resistant gene originating near the Black Sea

Viking age DNA reveals 9,000-year-old HIV-resistant gene originating near the Black Sea

May 18, 2025
Neanderthals operated prehistoric “fat factory” 125,000 years ago on German lakeshore, study finds

Neanderthals operated prehistoric “fat factory” 125,000 years ago on German lakeshore

July 3, 2025
Exceptionally large Roman shoes discovered at Magna fort near Hadrian’s Wall

Exceptionally large Roman shoes discovered at Magna fort near Hadrian’s Wall

July 3, 2025
Genetic study reveals the origin and diversity of the Huns

European Huns were not of Turkic origin but had ancient Siberian roots, linguistic study reveals

June 24, 2025
$1 million prize offered to decipher 5,300-year-old Indus Valley script

$1 million prize offered to decipher 5,300-year-old Indus Valley script

Oldest ever genetic data from a human relative found in 2-million-year-old fossilized teeth

Oldest ever genetic data from a human relative found in 2-million-year-old fossilized teeth

A 21-year-old student successfully deciphered the first word from the Herculaneum scrolls, charred during Mount Vesuvius' eruption

A 21-year-old student successfully deciphered the first word from the Herculaneum scrolls, charred during Mount Vesuvius’ eruption

New evidence reveals the source of mercury in the mausoleum of the first Qin emperor

New evidence reveals the source of mercury in the mausoleum of the first Qin emperor

Oldest US firearm discovered in Arizona: a 500-year-old relic of Coronado's expedition

Oldest US firearm discovered in Arizona: a 500-year-old relic of Coronado’s expedition

5,500-year-old 'Polish pyramids' discovered in western Poland reveal Neolithic engineering

5,500-year-old ‘Polish pyramids’ discovered in western Poland reveal Neolithic engineering

July 11, 2025
17th-century Gullberg’s fortress in Gothenburg brought to life through 3D reconstruction

17th-century Gullberg’s fortress in Gothenburg brought to life through 3D reconstruction

July 11, 2025
Neanderthals turned cave lion bones into multifunctional tools 130,000 years ago, study reveals

Neanderthals turned cave lion bones into multifunctional tools 130,000 years ago, study reveals

July 10, 2025
Donkey sacrifice from 4,500 years ago in ancient Gath reveals early Canaan–Egypt trade

Donkey sacrifice from 4,500 years ago in ancient Gath reveals early Canaan–Egypt trade

July 10, 2025
300,000-year-old wooden tools found in China reveal early humans’ plant-based diet and cognitive abilities in East Asia

300,000-year-old wooden tools found in China reveal early humans’ plant-based diet and cognitive abilities in East Asia

July 9, 2025

Archaeology News online magazine

Archaeology News is an international online magazine that covers all aspects of archaeology.











Categories

  • Academics
    • Books
    • Conferences
    • Universities
  • Articles
  • Download
  • Game
  • News
    • Anthropology
    • Archaeology
    • Paleontology
  • Quiz
  • Tours

Subscribe to our newsletter

© 2024 - Archaeology News Online Magazine. All Rights Reserved.

  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Donation
  • Contact

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

  • Home
  • News
    • Archaeology
    • Anthropology
    • Paleontology
  • Academics
    • Books
    • Conferences
    • Universities
  • Articles
  • VR Tours
  • Quiz & Game
  • Download
  • Encyclopedia
  • Forum

About  .  Contact  .  Donation

© 2024 - Archaeology News Online Magazine. All Rights Reserved

We use cookies to improve your experience and enable functionality and security of this site. Further detail is available in our Privacy Policy. By accepting all cookies, you consent to our use of cookies and use of data.