Wild Donkey Motif Found at Karahan Tepe

A recent excavation at Karahan Tepe, a significant Pre-Pottery Neolithic site in southeast Türkiye, has unveiled a fascinating artifact: the figure of a running wild donkey carved on a stone. This discovery adds to the growing body of evidence that Karahan Tepe, along with other sites in the Taş Tepeler (Stone Hills) region, played a crucial role in the development of early human civilization.

Karahan Tepe: A Key Site in the Stone Hills Region

Karahan Tepe is part of the broader Taş Tepeler project, a region in Şanlıurfa province known for its ancient sites featuring T-shaped anthropomorphic pillars similar to those first discovered at Göbekli Tepe, reports Arkeonews. Located just 23 miles (37 km) southeast of Göbekli Tepe, Karahan Tepe is one of several sites that have transformed our understanding of the Pre-Pottery Neolithic period, dating back around 11,000 years.

The 2024 excavation season at Karahan Tepe has been particularly fruitful, uncovering over 250 T-shaped obelisks and now, the striking depiction of a wild donkey.

Karahan Tepe is a large and complex Neolithic site, dated over 11,000 years. (mknisanci/Adobe Stock)

The figure, carved into one of the stones paving the floor of a sunken building, stands out not only for its detailed representation but also for its context. The building, with a branch roof supported by a short stone wall, had a floor paved with large, flat stones, some of which were used as grinding stones. The discovery of the donkey motif on one of these stones provides valuable insight into the symbolic and practical aspects of life at Karahan Tepe.

The Donkey Motif: A Glimpse into Neolithic Iconography

According to Prof. Dr. Necmi Karul, head of the Karahan Tepe excavation, the figure of the running wild donkey is a unique find in the region.

Anadolu Agency quotes the archaeologist detailing the find:

“The building is sunk into the ground, has a short stone wall and a branch-knitted roof system. We understand that the ground was paved with large flat stones. Some of these stone pavements were used as grinding stones, and we came across a wild donkey motif on one of them”.

The donkey is a curious representation of a running donkey, found on a floor slab at the site. (Mehmet Nuri Ersoy/X)

The motif, about 20 centimeters (8 inches) in length, was carved with skill, capturing the animal in motion and in proportion to the stone on which it was depicted. This level of detail suggests a good understanding of the animal’s anatomy.

Animal iconography at Karahan Tepe, and similar sites, can be divided into two categories, according to Karul. The first includes animals ‘whose frightening nature is emphasized’, often seen on the site’s numerous obelisks. The second category features animals that were part of the daily life of the site’s inhabitants, including gazelles, birds, and wild donkeys. The depiction of the donkey highlights its importance as a creature consumed and coexisted with the people of this period.

Karul went on to explain:

This wild donkey is a figure made with the technique of scratching while moving, placed inside a base with grinding stones in a similar way. In this respect, we have come across some figures on the bases of the structures in Göbekli Tepe before, but this is the first time we come across such a moving wild donkey motif. Of course, this is a find that will contribute a little more to our understanding of the animal iconography here and its relationship with humans and their environment.”

Significance of the Discovery

The presence of such detailed animal depictions at Karahan Tepe adds another layer of complexity to our understanding of Neolithic culture in the region. These carvings suggest that the inhabitants of Karahan Tepe not only engaged in daily activities such as grinding but also imbued their surroundings with symbolic meanings. The discovery of the donkey figure alongside a grinding stone indicates that these areas served both practical and ceremonial purposes.

Prof. Karul emphasized that while this is the first such discovery at Karahan Tepe, there may be more similar figures yet to be uncovered. Many of the site’s structures have not been fully excavated, and as work continues, researchers anticipate further finds that will enhance our understanding of this ancient settlement.

As archaeologists continue to explore Karahan Tepe and other sites in the Taş Tepeler region, each discovery brings us closer to understanding the complex and dynamic world of the early Neolithic people who once thrived in this region.

Top image: Wild Donkey motif found at Karahan Tepe, Türkiye.                 Source: Mehmet Nuri Ersoy,  Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Turkey/X

By Gary Manners