Huh.
Well, that's interesting.
Apparently, archaeologists at Göbekli Tepe in Turkey have discovered what is potentially the earliest sign of Human Civilization and it's not a city, nor is it a farm. No. It's a temple. And it predates the Walls of Jericho by over 1000 years, if the dating of the site is correct.
Now, the implications of this are kind of neat, as the traditional view of Human Cultural evolution has been, roughly, Hunter-Gathering->Farming->Villages->Monumental Temples->Cities. Now, if the dating is correct, we'd be looking at Hunter-Gathering->Monumental Temples->Farming to support those Temples->Villages built up around those Farms->Cities forming from those Villages expanding.
It's pretty neat.
Take a look.
Apparently, archaeologists at Göbekli Tepe in Turkey have discovered what is potentially the earliest sign of Human Civilization and it's not a city, nor is it a farm. No. It's a temple. And it predates the Walls of Jericho by over 1000 years, if the dating of the site is correct.
Now, the implications of this are kind of neat, as the traditional view of Human Cultural evolution has been, roughly, Hunter-Gathering->Farming->Villages->Monumental Temples->Cities. Now, if the dating is correct, we'd be looking at Hunter-Gathering->Monumental Temples->Farming to support those Temples->Villages built up around those Farms->Cities forming from those Villages expanding.
It's pretty neat.
Take a look.