The historical Rujm el-Hiri web site, located within the Golan Heights and sometimes called the “Wheel of Ghosts,” has been re-evaluated, with its long-standing identification as an astronomical observatory coming underneath scrutiny. Researchers have decided that geodynamic adjustments over tens of millions of years have altered the location’s orientation, elevating questions on its unique objective. These findings, derived from superior geophysical and distant sensing strategies, present a brand new perspective on this enigmatic archaeological construction.
Geophysical Insights Challenge Established Theories
According to the examine printed in Remote Sensing, geodynamic actions averaging 8–15 millimetres per 12 months over 150 million years shifted the location’s alignment considerably. Researchers from Tel Aviv University and Ben-Gurion University, led by Dr Olga Khabarova and Prof Lev Eppelbaum, concluded that the construction’s present orientation doesn’t match celestial patterns, contradicting earlier interpretations of its operate. The entrances and radial partitions, when reconstructed to their unique positions, have been proven to lack alignment with solstices, equinoxes, or different astronomical markers.
Advanced Techniques Reveal Archaeological Landscape
As reported by SciTech Daily, the researchers employed geomagnetic evaluation and satellite tv for pc expertise to doc the encompassing archaeological options inside a 30-kilometre radius of the Sea of Galilee. Unique round constructions, some as much as 90 metres in diameter, have been recognized alongside burial mounds and spherical enclosures. These findings counsel agricultural and herding functions slightly than purely ceremonial or observational roles.
A Broader Perspective on Rujm el-Hiri’s Role
Dr Michal Birkenfeld of Ben-Gurion University emphasised in his assertion to SciTech Daily that this reassessment enriches understanding of historical life within the Golan Heights. The analysis workforce famous that the examine reopens debates in regards to the web site’s objective whereas highlighting its integration right into a broader archaeological panorama. By questioning previous assumptions, the examine encourages additional exploration of how historical communities interacted with their surroundings.
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