This ancient megalith monument , consisting of concentric stone circles as well as a tumulus at the middle , although looks impressive from the air , is hardly visible from the ground. The walls are only half dozen feet high; exclusively the cardinal mound is higher. Located inward the middle of a bare area of plain inward the Israeli-occupied component of the Golan Heights , this otherwise large stone monument went unnoticed for centuries. It was discovered past times Israeli archeologists exclusively afterward the territory was captured from Syrian Arab Republic inward 1967.
The Syrians called it Rujm el-Hiri , which way "stone heap of the wild cat" inward Arabic. In Hebrew , it is named Gilgal Refaim , which way the “wheel of Refaim” , where “Refaim” is an ancient race of giants , mentioned inward the Bible , that supposedly lived inward Iron Age Israel. The discussion “Refaim” inward modern Hebrew also way "ghosts" or "spirits". This reference to “giants” as well as “ghosts” alludes to its gigantic size —the stone circle is 160 meters across— every bit good every bit to the mystery of who built the complex as well as the purpose behind it.
Photo credit: Israeltourism/Flickr
The construction consists of a large circle of basalt rocks , containing 4 smaller concentric circles , each getting progressively thinner. The walls of the circles are connected past times irregularly placed smaller stone walls perpendicular to the circles. At the middle is a heap of rocks , known every bit a cairn. The cairn is well-nigh five meters tall , as well as is the tallest role of the entire structure. It is estimated that Rujm el-Hiri contains to a greater extent than than xl ,000 tons of basalt rocks.
Rujm el-Hiri is dated to well-nigh 3000 BC , which makes it contemporary to England's Stonehenge. This is why it is oft referred to every bit the "Stonehenge of the Levant."
As alongside most megalith sites , at that spot is no tape of who built Rujm el-Hiri or for what purpose. One theory is that Rujm el-Hiri was an astronomical calendar. It appears that inward the twelvemonth 3000 BCE , on the longest twenty-four hours , the outset rays of the Sun shone through the opening inward the north-east gate. However , the alignment is non perfect , which is assumed to hold upward an indication of the lack of precise noesis or the lack of accurate architectural tools. Another theory is that the Rujm el-Hiri is a tomb fifty-fifty though no human remains accept been found.
The obscure site lies around Israeli military machine camps as well as is thence accessible exclusively on weekends as well as holidays.
Photo credit: Michael Homan/Flickr
Photo credit: Michael Homan/Flickr
Photo credit: Michael Homan/Flickr