Monument In Galilee

A lunar-crescent-shaped stone monument that dates back around 5,000 years has been identified in Israel. Located about 13 kilometers northwest of the Sea of Galilee, the structure is massive and it has a length of about 150 meters, making it longer than an American football field. Pottery excavated at the structure indicates the monument dates to between 3050 B.C. and 2650 B.C., meaning it is likely older than the pyramids of Egypt.

Archaeologists previously thought the structure was part of a city wall, but recent work carried out by Ido Wachtel from University of Jerusalem, indicates there is no city beside it and that the structure is a standing monument. The proposed interpretation for the site is that it constituted a prominent landmark in its natural landscape, serving to mark possession and to assert authority and rights over natural resources by a local population.

The structure’s crescent shape may have had symbolic importance, as the lunar crescent is a symbol of an ancient Mesopotamian moon god named Sin. An ancient town called Bet Yerah (which translates to “house of the moon god”) is located only a day’s walk from the crescent-shaped monument. As such, the monument may have helped mark the town’s borders. While the monument is located within walking range of the city it is too far away to be an effective fortification.

Source: livescience