Relationality, Immanence, Hierarchy: The Nature and Culture of Being(s) at Göbekli Tepe

Research at Göbekli Tepe reveals that human–animal relationships during the Early Neolithic period (PPNA) were characterized by immanence and hierarchy, challenging traditional views of hunter-gatherer societies. The study analyzes the site's megalithic architecture and pillar iconography, particularly depictions of predators, to argue that these relationships were expressed through ritualized imagistic practices, likely led by shamans. A novel model using referential relations and compositional hierarchy provides a framework for interpreting the complex interplay between beings and things in this ancient ontology. This approach sheds new light on the symbolic and ontological dimensions of early human societies.

Verhoeven, M. (2025). Relationality, Immanence, Hierarchy: The Nature and Culture of Being(s) at Göbekli Tepe. Cambridge Archaeological Journal, 35(3), 504–521. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0959774325000113