| Göbekli Tepe was first discovered in 1996. An ancient site in southern Turkey, archaeologists believe it was built around 12,000 years ago, possibly as a holy site. |  |
 | Archaeologists use “skull cult” to describe ancients who venerated skulls to the point of worship. Researchers recently found three such skulls at Göbekli Tepe, each with incisions along the sagittal axes of the head, or lengthwise down the center. |  |
 | The skull pieces in Göbeklitepe are the oldest known carved skulls in the world, and may have once been placed in special niches around the monumental temples of Göbekli Tepe or hung on leather cords. There was a hole made in one of the pieces, and some of them were decorated with amber. |  |
