Recent geomagnetic and archaeological research has revealed a surprising twist: over millennia, the site’s orientation has shifted, challenging its previously suspected role as an ancient astronomical tool.
Situated 18 kilometers northeast of the Sea of Galilee, the Wheel of Ghosts—officially called Rujum el-Hiri—features a 150-meter diameter and is encircled by a 2.5-meter-high outer wall. Within, 42,000 stones form concentric rings, culminating in a central 5-meter-tall mound. Despite its Bronze Age origins, dating back to 3600–2300 BCE, the structure has remained remarkably intact, thanks to the region’s agricultural nature and minimal modern development.
The site’s history is rich and layered. Its earliest known name, Rujm el-Hiri, translates to “stone heap of the wildcat” from ancient Syrian maps. The modern Hebrew name, Gilgal Refa’im, means “Wheel of Ghosts,” a fitting moniker for such a mysterious monument. While the site was rediscovered in the 1960s, significant excavations only began in the 1980s and early 2000s, revealing a complex history of use and reuse by various groups over time.
Modern Science Meets Ancient Mysteries
A team of experts, including Tel Aviv University’s Dr. Olga Khabarova and Prof. Lev Eppelbaum, and Dr. Michal Birkenfeld of Ben-Gurion University, combined cutting-edge techniques to analyze the site. They employed geomagnetic sensors, tectonic reconstructions, and satellite imagery from the US Geological Survey to study the monument’s shifting geodynamics.
Their findings were astounding. The geomagnetic analysis revealed that the structure’s orientation had shifted 8–15 millimeters annually due to tectonic activity. Over thousands of years, this accumulated into a significant counterclockwise movement, rendering any alignment with celestial bodies meaningless in modern times. By reconstructing the site’s original layout and comparing it to ancient sky maps, the researchers confirmed that the structure lacked alignments with solstices, equinoxes, or significant celestial events.
A Window to the Past
Beyond debunking astronomical theories, the team’s satellite mapping uncovered new archaeological features in the surrounding area. These included circular structures with diameters ranging from 40 to 90 meters, thick-walled enclosures, and smaller 20-meter circles, likely used for agriculture or livestock. They also identified dozens of tumuli, ancient mounds often used as burial sites but sometimes serving as shelters, storage, or even dwellings.
Like Peru’s Nazca Lines, these patterns are best observed from above, offering a perspective that ground-level exploration cannot provide. “This study not only sheds light on Rujum el-Hiri but also deepens our understanding of ancient life in the Golan Heights,” the researchers concluded.
While the Wheel of Ghosts retains its aura of mystery, this research opens exciting new avenues for exploring the ancient civilizations of the Golan Heights. With advanced tools and interdisciplinary methods, archaeologists are piecing together a more comprehensive picture of this region’s rich and complex history.
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