Stone Age Religion at Goebekli Tepe

The excavation of Göbekli Tepe uncovers a previously unknown religion linked to the Neolithic Revolution, established nearly 12,000 years ago by hunter-shaman priests in the Fertile Crescent. Advances in weapon manufacturing led to overhunting and a decline in prey populations, prompting the emergence of a priestly cult focused on life regeneration. This rationalization of controlling plants and animals spurred domestication, ultimately leading to hyper-domestication and shaping the trajectory of civilization and religious history.